An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Färse

by Friedrich Kluge

Färse, f. (unknown to UpG.), ‘heifer,’ from MidHG. (MidG. and LG.) vęrse, f.; comp. Du. vaars, ‘heifer’ (likewise vaarkoe, ‘heifer’); in Goth. probably *farsi, gen. farsjôs; E. heifer, from the equiv. AS. heáhfore, heáfre, f., seems to contain Farre, Färse, in the final syllable. The stem farz, fars, does not recur exactly in the cognate languages, yet Gr. πόρις, πόρτις, ‘calf, heifer,’ agree with it in sound; likewise Sans. pṛšatî, ‘white-spotted cow’ (fem. of prat, ‘speckled, spotted’)?. Färse, see under Farre.