An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Frevel

by Friedrich Kluge

Frevel, m., ‘wanton offence, outrage, sacrilege,’ from MidHG. vręvel, f., m., ‘boldness, presumption, arrogance, insolence, violence,’ OHG. fravilî, f., ‘boldness, daring, insolence’; abstr. subst. from the OHG. adj. fravili, fręvili, MidHG. vręvele, ‘bold, proud, daring, insolent,’ ModHG. frevel, adj.; comp. AS. frœfele, ‘daring,’ Du. wrevel, ‘outrage.’ Connected with the HG. adj. are two or three difficult forms which furnish a hint for discovering the etymology. OHG. fraballîcho, adv. with b, and frabarî, f., ‘audacia,’ with b and r. Parallel to MidHG. vręvel there exists a form vor-ęvel, ver-ęvel, corresponding to MidHG. ver-ëȥȥen, compared with vr-ëȥȥen. We have probably to assume a Goth. *fraabls, or rather *fra afls (comp. fressen), and with this OIc. afl, n., ‘power, strength,’ and OHG. avalôn, ‘to torment oneself, work,’ are closely connected. In OHG. fra was preserved as a fully accented prefix in adjs., as in frá-bald, ‘daring,’ from bald, ‘bold.’ See Fracht (a compound containing Goth. fra). —