An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Sperber

by Friedrich Kluge

Sperber, masculine, ‘sparrow-hawk,’ from the equivalent Middle High German spęrwœre, sparwœre, Old High German sparwâri, masculine (compare Dutch sperwer). A derivative of the Teutonic sparwa-, ‘sparrow’ (see Sperling); hence sparwâri is literally ‘bird of prey that lives on sparrows’ (in Middle High German also sprinze, feminine, ‘female sparrow-hawk’). Old High German sparwā̆ri is a compound of aro, ‘eagle’; compare Old High German mûs-ari, chranuh-ari, and Anglo-Saxon gôs-heafoc, mûs-heafoc, spear-heafoc (‘sparrow-hawk,’ like Old High German sparw-ari). Old High German aro, ‘eagle,’ may appear as ari in the second part of a compound. From Teutonic are derived the Romance terms, Italian sparaviere, French épervier.