An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Spur

by Friedrich Kluge

Spur, f., ‘track, trace, footsteps, vestige,’ from MidHG. spur (spür), n. and f., ‘footstep,’ beside which the equiv. MidHG. and OHG. spor occurs; connected with the Teut. and Aryan root sper (see Sporn), ‘to tread.’ To this is allied the ModHG. denominative spüren, ‘to trace, investigate, discover,’ from MidHG. spürn, OHG. spuren, spurren, and spurien, wk. vb., lit. ‘to follow in search of the track of game,’ then ‘to go in quest of, trace, examine.’ This figurative sense recurs in all the Teut. languages (comp. Du. speuren, AS. spyrian, OIc. spyrja), and is probably a relic of the terms used by OTeut. hunters.