An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Warze

by Friedrich Kluge

Warze, f., ‘wart, teat,’ from the equiv. MidHG. warze, OHG. warza, f.; corresponding to Goth. *wartô, OIc. varta, AS. wearte, E. wart, and the equiv. Du. wrat. The early history of Teut. wartô- (from Aryan wardô-) is uncertain; some connect it with the Aryan root wrd, ‘to grow,’ from which Wurzel is derived, and regard Warze as ‘excrescence’ (comp. OSlov. vrědŭ, ‘eruption’). Others prefer to compare it with AS. wearre, ‘weal,’ Lat. verrûca, ‘wart,’ the rr of which may have arisen by the loss of an intermediate dental.