An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/hurtig
hurtig, adjective, ‘quick, prompt, speedy,’ from Middle High German hurtec, hurteclîch, ‘quick,’ properly ‘dashing violently against’; Mid. hurt, masculine and feminine, ‘coming into violent collision, impact,’ is said to be borrowed from French heurt (Italian urto), ‘thrust,’ which again is derived from Keltic hwrdh, ‘thrust.’ Yet hurtig may be regarded as a genuine Teutonic word, allied to Old High German rado, Anglo-Saxon hrœd, ‘quick,’ with which Old Icelandic horskr, ‘quick,’ is also connected.