An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/wirr

by Friedrich Kluge

wirr, adj., ‘confused, entangled,’ a ModHG. derivative of wirren, ‘to twist, entangle, confuse’ (mostly now verwirren). This properly str. vb. (as the old ModHG. partic. verworren shows) is based on MidHG. wërren (verwërren), OHG. wërran (firwërran), str. vbs., ‘to entangle, confuse.’ On the corresponding subst. OHG. wërra, ‘confusion, dispute,’ are based Ital. guerra, Fr. guerre, ‘war.’ It is uncertain whether OHG. and OSax. wërran, str. vb., ‘to bring into confusion,’ is based on an earlier *wersan, and whether Wurst is connected with it. A pre-Teut. root wers appears in OSlov. vrěšti, ‘to thresh,’ and probably also in Lat. verro, ‘to sweep.’ E. worse (Goth. waírsiza; see the following word) is usually referred to the Teut. root wers, ‘to confuse.’