An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Grieß
Grieß, m. and n., ‘gravel, groats,’ from MidHG. grieȥ (grûȥ), m. and n., ‘grain of sand, sand, gravel’; the ModHG. sense has not yet been found in MidHG. (yet late MidHG. grieȥmël, ‘coarse ground flour’), OHG. grioȥ, m. and n., ‘sand, gravel’; corresponding to OSax. griot, AS. greôt, ‘sand,’ OIc. grjót, ‘stones.’ On the OG. meaning of these cognates are based Ital. greto, ‘stony bed of a river,’ and Fr. grès, ‘sandstone,’ grêle, ‘hail.’ The ModHG. signification is connected with the closely allied cognates of Grüße.