An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Zier

by Friedrich Kluge

Zier, f., ‘ornament, decoration,’ from MidHG. ziere, OHG. ziarî, f., ‘beauty, magnificence, ornament’; an abstract of the MidHG. adj. ziere, OHG. ziari, zêri, ‘precious, splendid, beautiful.’ Corresponding to OIc. tírr, OSax. and AS. tîr, m., ‘fame, honour' (E. tire). The relation of the words is difficult to explain, because the stem vowels (OHG. ia not equiv. to AS. î) do not correspond. No connection with Lat. decus, ‘honour’ (decôrus, ‘becoming’), is possible. —