An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Simmer

by Friedrich Kluge

Simmer, neuter ‘half a bushel,’ for earlier Modern High German and Middle High German sümmer, whose variants sümber, sumber (sümbrîn), lead to Old High German sumbir (sumbrîn). ‘basket.’ The suffix în occurs in several terms denoting vessels (see Kessel); the syllable ber in Middle High German sümber recalls Eimer and Zuber.