An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/braten

by Friedrich Kluge

braten, vb., ‘to roast, broil, fry,’ from the equiv. MidHG. brâten, OHG. brâtan; comp. Du. braden, AS. brœ̂dan, ‘to roast’; a Goth. str. vb. *brêdan is to be assumed. The root may have been a pre-Teut. bhrêdh or bhrêt; in support of the latter we may perhaps adduce OHG. brâdam, quoted under Brodem. Brüten (Goth. *brôdjan) might also be assigned to the same root. The pre-Teut. bhrêdh is also indicated by Gr. πρήθω (if it stands for φρήθω?), ‘to consume, set on fire’ (chiefly in combination with πυρί). See also Wildpret.