An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/stöbern

by Friedrich Kluge

stöbern, verb, ‘to fly about, drift, drizzle,’ Modern High German only, allied to earlier Modern High German Stöber, masculine, Middle High German stöuber, ‘hound,’ which is derived from Middle High German stöuben, ‘to scare up, start up, chase away’; the latter is a factitive of stieben. To this is allied Modern High German Gestöber, neuter, ‘drifting,’ formed from Middle High German stöuben, ‘to raise dust.’