An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/sterben

by Friedrich Kluge

sterben, vb., ‘to die,’ from the equiv. MidHG. stërben, OHG. stërban, str. vb., corresponding to OSax. stërƀan, Du. sterven, AS. steorfan, ‘to die,’ E. to starve. In East Teut. this term is wanting (comp. the root discussed under tot). OIc., however, preserves a corresponding starf, n., ‘work, trouble, effort,’ to which starfa, ‘to take pains,’ and stjarfe, ‘tetanus, locked jaw,’ are allied. The parallel development of Gr. οἱ καμόντες, ‘the dead,’ from κάμνω, ‘to take pains,’ shows that we may assign, on the basis of the Scand. words, the primary meaning ‘to torment oneself’ to the West Teut. stërban. Unfortunately the early history of the Teut. root sterb is obscure. For the primit. Aryan root for ‘to die’ see under Mord.