An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Zorn

by Friedrich Kluge

Zorn, m., ‘anger, wrath, passion,’ from MidHG. zorn, m., OHG. zorn, n., ‘violent indignation, fury, insult, dispute’; corresponding to OSax. torn, n., ‘indignation,’ AS. torn, n., ‘anger, insult,’ Du. toorn, m., ‘anger’ (torn, ‘push, fight’); in Goth. by chance not recorded. It is an old partic. in no- from the root tar, ‘to tear’ (Goth. ga-tairan, OHG. zëran, ‘to tear to pieces, destroy’); hence Zorn meant lit. ‘ending of the mind’?. Yet note Lith. durnas, ‘mad, angry, insufferable,’ and durnůti, ‘to rage.’