An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Hornisse

by Friedrich Kluge

Hornisse, f., ‘hornet,’ from the equiv. MidHG. hôrniȥ, hórnū̆ȥ (early ModHG., also Hornauß), OHG. hórnaȥ, hórnū̆ȥ, m.; comp. AS. hyrnet, E. hornet; probably not a derivative of Horn. The Slav. and Lat. words for ‘hornet’ point rather to a Goth. *haurznuts, based upon a root horz, Aryan kṛs (Ind. *çṛs); Lat. crâbro, ‘hornet,’ for *crâsro, OSlov. srŭšenĭ, Lith. szirszone, ‘hornet.’ They point to an old Aryan root kṛs, ‘hornet’; with this comp. OSlov. srŭša, Lith. szirszu̇, ‘wasp.’ A trace of this medial s is retained in Du. horzel, ‘hornet’ (Goth. *haursuls), to which horzelen, ‘to hum,’ is allied.