An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/teuer

by Friedrich Kluge

teuer, adj., ‘dear, costly, precious,’ from the equiv. MidHG. tiure, tiur, OHG. tiuri; corresponding to the equiv. OSax. diuri, Du. duur, AS. dŷre, deóre, E. dear (to which darling, from AS. deórling, is allied), OIc. dýrr. For the gradation û (ModHG. tûr, ‘esteem’), iu, see dauern (2). The early history of this common Teut. adj., which is wanting only in Goth., cannot be ascertained.