An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Zähre

by Friedrich Kluge

Zähre, f., ‘tear,’ properly neut. plur. of MidHG. zaher (*zacher), OHG. zahar (zahhar), m.; the form with ch in MidHG. is inferred from the derivative zęchern, zachern, ‘to weep’ (OHG. hhr from hr). Comp. AS. teár (from *teahor, with the variant tœhher), E. tear, OIc. tár (for *tahr-), Goth. tagr, n., ‘tear.’ A primit. Teut. word in the form dakru, which is presupposed by Gr. δάκρυ, Lat. lacruma (for earlier dacruma), OIr. dacr (dér), ‘tear.’ The equiv. Sans. áçru, if it stands for *daçru, is abnormal.