An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Flur

by Friedrich Kluge

Flur, f., m., ‘field, meadow, floor, entrance-hall’; the division in meaning in ModHG. Flur, m., ‘vestibule,’ Flur, f., 'corn field,’ was unknown to the older language; MidHG. vluor, m., f., ‘cornfield, floor, ground.’ The meanings ‘entrance to a house, vestibule, paved floor,’ belong to MidHG. and LG.; comp. Du. vloer, ‘vestibule, barn-floor,’ AS. flôr, m., f., ‘vestibule, barn-floor,’ also ‘storey,’ E. floor; Scand. flór, ‘floor’ of a cow-house (Goth. flôrus is wanting). The resulting prim. meaning, ‘floor,’ has been extended only in HG. to ‘corn-field.’ Teut. flóru-s, from pre-Teut. plôrus, plârus, is most closely related to OIr. lár for *plár, ‘floor, paved floor.’ OPruss. plonis, ‘barn-floor,’ has a different suffix; it is allied to Lith. plónas, ‘flat’; hence perhaps it may be connected with Lat. plânus.