An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Erz-

by Friedrich Kluge

Erz-, prefix, ‘arch-, chief,’ from Middle High German ęrz-; compare Middle High German ęrz-ęngel, -bischof, -priester; Old High German only in ęrzi-bischof; corresponding to Dutch aarts in aarts-engel, aartsbisschop, Anglo-Saxon arcebiscop, English archbishop, Anglo-Saxon arcęngel, English archangel; from the Latin-Greek prefix archi- (ἀρχι-), much affected in ecclesiastical words. High German and Dutch exhibit the late Latin pronunciation, arci (see Kreuz); Gothic ark-aggilus, ‘archangel,’ from archangelus, like Anglo-Saxon arce-, retain the older sound of the c. Compare also Arzt.