An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Kresse

by Friedrich Kluge

Kresse (1.), feminine, ‘cress, from the equivalent Middle High German kręsse, Old High German chręsso, masculine, chressa, feminine; corresponding to Dutch kers, kors, feminine, Anglo-Saxon cœrse, feminine, English cress. This word, which is probably peculiar to West Teutonic, found its way to the North—Dan. karse, Swedish krasse, Lettic kresse; it was also adopted by the Romance languages — French cresson, Italian crescione. The assumption that the Romance words contain the original form is opposed by the early appearance of the term in the old West Teutonic languages. It is true that no plausible explanation of Old High German chręsso (Gothic *krasja?) has been put forward; Old High German chrësan, Middle High German krësen, krîsen, ‘to crawl,’ seems unrelated.

Kresse (2.), feminine, ‘gudgeon,’ from the equivalent Middle High German kresse, Old High German chresso, masculine. Different from Kresse (1). The fish is thus named only in German, and hence the term is not diffused in West Teutonic like the preceding word.