An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Erbe

by Friedrich Kluge

Erbe, n., ‘heritage, inheritance,’ from MidHG. ęrbe, OHG. ęrbi, arbi, n., ‘inheritance’; a word common to Teut.; comp. the equiv. Goth. arbi, AS. yrfe (obsolete in E.), Du. erf, OSax. ęrƀi. Akin to Erbe, m., ‘heir, inheritor,’ from the equiv. MidHG. ęrbe, OHG. ęrbo, arbeo (Goth. arbja), m. With the Teut. root arbh, ‘to inherit,’ some have connected the OIr. comarpi, ‘joint heirs,’ and Gr. ὀρφανός, Lat. orbus, ‘orphaned,’ Armen. orb, ‘orphan’; Erbe, lit. ‘orphan’?.