An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Winzer

by Friedrich Kluge

Winzer, m., ‘vintager, vine-dresser,’ from the equiv. MidHG. wī̆nzürl, wī̆nzürle, OHG. wînzuril (wînzurnil), m. It can hardly have been borrowed from Lat. vînitor, which must have produced the OHG. form *wînizâri (MidHG. wī̆nzœre, wī̆nzer). OHG. wînzuril is more probably, however, a compound slightly influenced by the Lat. term; its second component is derived from OHG. zëran, ‘to tear or pluck off.’ Comp. Wein, and for the accented vowel Wingert.