An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Beere

by Friedrich Kluge

Beere, feminine, ‘berry,’ from the plural of the equivalent Middle High German bęr, Old High German bęri, neuter; compare Gothic *basi (only in weinabasi, neuter grape; Old Saxon wînbęri). The Old High German r in bęri presupposes a Gothic bazi; to the s of the Gothic word Dutch bes corresponds; in Anglo-Saxon bęrie, English berry, the s has been changed into r. See, however, Besing. Foreign cognates are wanting; yet the Sanscrit root bhas, ‘to chew,’ is perhaps akin (Gothic basi, originally ‘the edible substance’?); no connection with Old High German bëran, ‘to carry’ (see gebären), or Latin bacca, ‘berry,’ is possible.