An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/zer-

by Friedrich Kluge

zer-, prefix from Middle High German zer- (Middle German zur- and zu-), Old High German zir-, zar-, zur-; a common West Teutonic verbal prefix, meaning ‘asunder’; compare Old Saxon ti, Anglo-Saxon tô. In Gothic only twis- occurs as a verbal prefix in twisstandan, ‘to separate’; the nominal Gothic prefix tuz- (Old High German zûr-, Old Icelandic tor-) corresponds to Greek δυς-, Sanscrit dus, ‘bad, difficult.’