An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Wurz

by Friedrich Kluge

Wurz, f., ‘root, herb,’ from MidHG. and OHG. wurz, f., ‘herb, plant’ (MidHG. also ‘root’); comp. OSax. wurt, ‘herb, flower,’ AS. wyrt, E. wort, Goth. waúrts, ‘root.’ An Aryan root wṛd, wrā̆d, is indicated by Gr. ῥάδαμνος, ‘tendril, shoot’ (Gr. ῥίζα from ϝριδjα), and Lat. râdix (Gr. ῥάδιξ), with which again OIc. rôt (whence the equiv. E. root) for *wrôt- is closely connected; comp. also Nüssel. An allied Teut. root urt (from Aryan wrd) appears in Goth. *aurti-, ‘herb,’ and OHG. orzôn, ‘to plant.’ — To this is allied Würze, f., ‘spice, seasoning, wort (brewing),’ from MidHG. würze, f., ‘spice plant’; corresponding to E. wort and OSax. wurtia, ‘spice.’ —