An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/fahren

by Friedrich Kluge

fahren, vb., ‘to drive, convey, sail,’ from MidHG. varn, OHG. faran, ‘to move from one place to another, go, come’; corresponds to Goth. (rare) faran, ‘to wander, march,’ OSax. and AS. faran, ‘to proceed, march,’ E. to fare, OIc. fara, ‘to move’ (of any kind of motion). The root far in Goth. farjan (OHG. fęrian, MidHG. vęrn) means ‘to go by ship,’ and is therefore connected with the nouns mentioned under Fähre. The primary meaning of the Teut. root far, ‘continued motion of every kind,’ is supported also by führen. As derivatives of the Aryan root per, por, comp. Gr. πόρος, ‘way, passage,’ πόρθμος, ‘straits’ (see Furt), πορθμεύς, ‘ferryman,’ πορεύω, ‘to bring, convey, cross,’ πορεύεσθαι, ‘to go, travel, march’ (hence there is a leaning in Gr. also to the meaning ‘to go by ship’ in the case of the root πορ); OSlov. perą. pirati, ‘to fly’; Sans. root par, ‘to lead across’; Lat. peritus, ‘experienced’ —