An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Roß

by Friedrich Kluge

Roß (1.), n., ‘horse, steed,’ from MidHG. and OHG. ros (gen. rosses), n., ‘horse,’ espec. ‘charger,’ for earlier *hrossa-; comp. OSax. hross, Du. ros, AS. hors, E. horse, OIc. hross, n., ‘horse.’ Goth. *hrussa- is wanting, the term used being OAryan aíhwa- (OSax. ëhu, AS. eoh, OIc. jór), equiv. to Lat. equus, Gr. ἵππος, Sans. áçva-s (Lith. aszvà, ‘mare’). In MidHG. the term Pferd appears; Roß is still used almost exclusively in UpG. with the general sense of ‘horse.’ From the Teut. cognates is derived the Rom. term, Fr. rosse, ‘sorry horse, jade,’ The origin of Teut. hrussa- is uncertain; as far as the meaning is concerned, it may be compared, as is usually done, with Lat. currere for *curs-ere, *cṛs-ere, root kṛs, ‘to run,’ or with the Sans. root kûrd, ‘to leap,’ with which OIc. hress, ‘quick,’ may also be connected. For another derivation see rüsten —

Roß (2.), n., ‘honeycomb,’ from the equiv. MidHG. râȥ, râȥe, f.; OHG. *râȥa is by chance not recorded; corresponding to OLG. râta, ‘favus,’ Du. raat, f., ‘virgin honey’; undoubtedly a genuine Teut. term. The derivation from Lat. radius is unfounded; OFr. raie de miel (from raie, ‘ray,’ radius) is due to the influence of the Teut. word, in Goth. *rêta, f., which cannot, however, be traced farther back.