An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Garn

by Friedrich Kluge

Garn, n., ‘yarn, thread, net, snare,’ from the equiv. MidHG. and OHG. garn; corresponding to AS. gearn, E. yarn, OIc. garn, n., Du. garen; the common Teut. term for ‘yarn’ (Goth. *garn, n.); the meaning ‘net’ was attached to Garn, even in the OHG. and MidHG. period, but it never obtained in E. and Scand. We might assume a root gar with some such meaning as ‘to turn,’ but it is not authenticated. Earlier Teut. has a series of terms corresponding in sound with Garn and meaning ‘entrails’; comp. OIc. gǫrn (plur. garner), f., ‘gut, intestines, entrails,’ OHG. mittigarni, mittilagarni, n., ‘fat found in the middle of the entrails, arvina,’ AS. micgern (cg for dg; comp. AS. orceard, E. orchard, for ortgeard), ‘arvina’ These words have been connected with Lith. żarnà, f., ‘gut,’ and Sans. hirâ, f., ‘gut,’ though the latter may be allied to Lat. hîra, f., ‘gut,’ and hilla for hirla; likewise Lat. haru- in haru-spex, ‘one who examines the entrails, soothsayer,’ and hariolus, ‘soothsayer,’ contain the Aryan root ghar. Perhaps — and nothing further can be sail — all the words discussed above are based on a Teut. root ghar, ‘to turn.’