An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Feuer

by Friedrich Kluge

Feuer, n., ‘fire, ardour, passion,’ from the equiv. MidHG. viur, OHG. and OLG. fiur, older fûir, n.; comp. Du. vuur, AS. fŷr (from *fûir), n., E. fire; a word common to West Teut. for ‘fire’; in Goth. fön (gen. funins), OIc. fune, ‘fire,’ but it is doubtful whether they are cognate with HG. Feuer; comp. OIc. (only in poetry) fúrr, m., and fýre, n., ‘fire.’ The r in all the words is a suffix, and fû (from pre-Teut. pû) the root; comp. Gr. πῦρ and Æol. πύΐρ, n. (πυρσός, ‘torch’). In Sans. a verbal root pû, ‘to flame, beam brightly,’ is found, whence pâvaká, ‘fire.’