An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Geburt

by Friedrich Kluge

Geburt, f., from the equiv. MidHG. geburt, OHG. giburt, f., ‘birth.’ Comp. Goth. gabaurpþs, f., ‘birth,’ also ‘lineage, native town,’ OSax. giburd, f., AS. gebyrd, f., ‘birth, rank, dignity,’ E. birth, OIc. burþr, m., ‘birth, embryo’; in form it points to Aryan and Sans. bhṛtí-s, and both in form and meaning it corresponds to OIr. brith, ‘birth’; Sans. bhṛtí-s, f., ‘bearing, nursing, maintenance’ With the simple Teut. beran, ‘to give birth to,’ is connected an OTeut. neut. subst. barna-, ‘child’ (lit. ‘that which is born’), formed from the old no-partic. Comp. OIc. barn, AS. bearn, OSax., OHG., and MHG. barn, ‘child, son.’