An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Kur

by Friedrich Kluge

Kur, Chur, feminine, ‘election,’ in Kurfürst connected with erkoren, erkiesen; Middle High German kür, küre, feminine (Middle German kur, kure, without modification), ‘consideration, selection,’ especially ‘election of a king’ (Middle High German kür-, kurvürste, Middle German korvürste, ‘Elector’); Old High German churi, feminine, is preserved in High German Willfür in the regularly mutated form. Anglo-Saxon cyre, masculine, ‘choice’; Scandinavian kør, keyr, neuter, ‘choice.’ See kiesen.