An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/schnurren

by Friedrich Kluge

schnurren, vb., ‘to hum, whiz, buzz, purr,’ from MidHG. snurren, ‘to rustle, drink (of beasts).’ Allied to ModHG. Schnurre, f., ‘humming-top, farce,’ and the derivative schnurrig, ‘droll’; comp. OHG. snurring, MidHG. snürrinc (also snurrœre), 'buffoon, fool'; perhaps Narr, ‘fool,’ OHG. narro, is a cognate term. —