An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Garbe

by Friedrich Kluge

Garbe (1.), f., ‘sheaf,’ from the equiv. MidHG. garbe, OHG. garba, f.; Corresponding to OSax. garba, Du. garf, ‘sheaf’; lit. ‘handful, manipulum.’ Hence from the Sans. root gṛbh, ‘to lay hold of, seize,’ grâbhá, ‘handful;’ Lett. grabas, fem. plur., ‘a bundle hastily collected,’ Lith. grĕpti, ‘to seize,’ and grópti, ‘to snatch.’ In the HG. dialects grappen, grapsen, grippen, &c., are also allied to the Aryan root ghṛbh; so too Du. grabbelen, E. to grabble. The cognates found their way into Romance (Fr. gerbe, f., ‘sheaf’).

Garbe (2.), (the same is Schafgarbe, ‘milfoil’), f., ‘millefolium,’ from the equiv. MidHG. garwe, OHG. garwa, garawa, f., ‘millefolium’; corresponding to AS. gearewe, f., E. yarrow, Du. gerw, ‘millefolium.’ Whether it is related to gar (Teut. garwa-) is uncertain.