An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Herde

by Friedrich Kluge

Herde, feminine, ‘herd, flock, drove,’ from the equivalent Middle High German hërte, hërt, Old High German hërta, feminine; the common Teutonic word for ‘herd’; Dutch herde (obsolete, see Hirte; kudde, feminine, is used instead, see Kette), Anglo-Saxon heord, feminine, English herd, Old Icelandic hjǫrð, feminine, Gothic haírda, feminine, ‘herd.’ The Teutonic type herdô (the d of the Modern High German form, compared with Old High German t, is due to Low German influence), from pre-Teutonic kerdhâ; compare Old Indian çárdhas, neuter, çárdha-s, masculine,. ‘troop’; also Old Slovenian črĕda, feminine, ‘herd’?. See Hirte.