An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Zwerg

by Friedrich Kluge

Zwerg, m., ‘dwarf, pigmy,’ from the equiv. MidHG. twërc(g), getwërc (also querch, zwërch), OHG. twërg, m.; a common Teut. word. Comp. Du. dwerg, AS. dweorh, E. dwarf, OIc. dvergr, m., Swed. and Dan. dverg. The Teut. base is dwergo-, which is perhaps also connected with the Teut. root drug, ‘to deceive’; hence Zwerg means lit. ‘phantom, illusion’?.