An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/besser
besser, comparative adjective, ‘better’; see the corresponding adverb baß; superlative best; from Middle High German beȥȥer, best (beȥȥist), Old High German beȥȥiro, beȥȥist; corresponds to Anglo-Saxon betera, betst, English better, best; Gothic batiza, batists. Even in primitive Teutonic gut formed its degrees of comparison in this way, which might be represented in Indian by *bhadyas-, *bhadišṭha-. The etymology of Modern High German gut is difficult to get at; in the case of besser we are assisted by the cognate root in Buße, the primitive meaning of which is ‘utility’; the ethical notion arose from that of interest. At all events, thus the matter stands from the merely Teutonic point of view. It has been connected more remotely with Old Indian bhadrá-s, to which the primary meaning ‘shining’ is assigned; but in this sense the Indian word cannot be cognate; it belongs to the root bhand, and would consequently become *buntrs in Gothic. The chief significations of bhadrá-s, however, are ‘capable, salutary, prosperous,’ which are in closer approximation to the idea of interest. Of these meanings besser and best might form the degrees of comparison.