An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Trespe

by Friedrich Kluge

Trespe, f., ‘brome-grass,’ a Sax. and Siles. word, from MidHG. (MidG.) trësp, ‘darnel,’ with the genuine HG. variants trëfs, trëfse, m. Modern Ger. dialects (e.g., Thuringian) have Treff (Swab. trefz), so that an orig. term trëf is probable. Allied to Du. dravik, MidE. drauk (AS. *drafoc); non-Teut. cognates are wanting.