An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/kernen

by Friedrich Kluge

kernen, vb., ‘to churn,’ allied to E. churn, AS. *čirne, *čyrne, Du. karn, OIc. kirna, f., ‘churn,’ with which AS. čyrnan, E. to churn, and the equiv. Du. karnen are also connected. Akin to ModHG. (Up. Palat.) kern, ‘cream,’ MidDu. kerne, Scand. (Ic.) kjarne, ‘cream,’ which perhaps are identical with Kern. Probably Teut. kirnjôn, ‘churn,’ and kirnjan, ‘to churn,’ are prim. derivatives of *kerno-, ‘cream.’