An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Simmer

by Friedrich Kluge

Simmer, n. ‘half a bushel,’ for earlier ModHG. and MidHG. sümmer, whose variants sümber, sumber (sümbrîn), lead to OHG. sumbir (sumbrîn). ‘basket.’ The suffix în occurs in several terms denoting vessels (see Kessel); the syllable ber in MidHG. sümber recalls Eimer and Zuber.