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An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Schmerz

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An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, S (1891)
by Friedrich Kluge, translated by John Francis Davis
Schmerz
Friedrich Kluge2509733An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, S — Schmerz1891John Francis Davis

Schmerz, m., ‘pain,’ from the equiv. MidHG. smërz, m., OHG. smërzo, m., smërza, f.; allied to OHG. smërzan, vb., MidHG. smërzen, ‘to smart, pain,’ AS. smeortan, ‘to pain, smart,’ E. smart, vb. and subst. MidE. smerte, E. smart, adj., make it probable that the cognates are related to Lat. mordêre, ‘to bite,’ Gr. σμερδνός, σμερδαλεός, ‘horrible'; the Aryan root smerd, Teut. smert, signifies perhaps ‘to stick, bite.’ Comp. bitter.