An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Knorre

by Friedrich Kluge

Knorre, masculine, ‘knotty excrescence,’ from Middle High German knorre, masculine, with the equivalent variant knûre, masculine, ‘knot, protuberance’ (on trees, the body, &c.); knûre also signifies ‘rock, cliff, summit’; in the sense of ‘cuff, push,’ it is connected with Middle High German knüsen (from *knusjan), ‘to push, strike.’ For the other meanings too we must probably proceed from a Gothic word with s (z), as the dialectic forms indicate, Suabian Knaus, ‘knob on a loaf,’ Swiss knus, ‘knot, excrescence.’ English knar, ‘knot in wood,’ Middle English knarre, with the variant knorre, ‘knot, excrescence.’ — Old High German has only the adjective chniurig, ‘knotty, stout, firm,’ derived from *knûr. — Compare Knospe and Knust.