An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/währen

by Friedrich Kluge

währen, vb., ‘to last, continue,’ from the equiv. MidHG. wërn, OHG. wërên, wk. vb.; allied to OSax. warôn, ‘to last.’ The r of these verbs is based on an old s, which leads to a connection with the Aryan root wes, ‘to be’ (comp. Wesen). Deriv. während, prep. and conj., ‘during, pending, whilst,’ properly a partic.