An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Breme

by Friedrich Kluge

Breme, ‘edge, border.’ See verbrämen.

Breme, Bremse, f., ‘gadfly.’ Comp. MidHG. brëme, brëm, OHG. brëmo, ‘gadfly.’ Bremse is LG. for HG. Breme; comp. OLG. brimissa, AS. brimse, MidE. brimse. OHG. brëmo would be in Goth. *brima, m., Bremse, Goth. *brimisi, f. Yet E. breeze (horsefly) cannot be cognate, since breósa (and not brimes) is its AS. form. The root of Bremse, discussed under brummen, is brem (pre-Teut. bhrem, Lat. fremere), ‘to buzz, hum,’ whence also Sans. bhramara, m., ‘bee.’