An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Herz

by Friedrich Kluge

Herz, n., ‘heart,’ from the equiv. MidHG. hërze, OHG. hërza, n.; comp. OSax. hęrta, OIc. hjarta, Goth. haírtô, AS. heorte, and the equiv. E. heart; the common Teut. word for ‘heart,’ which may be traced back even to West Aryan. The Teut. type hertôn-, from Aryan kerd (kṛd), corresponds to Lat. cor, cor-dis, n., Gr. καρδία and κῇρ for *κῆρδ, n., Lith. szirdìs, f., OSlov. srŭdĭce, n., OIr. cride. The corresponding East Aryan word for ‘heart’ (Sans. hṛd, hṛdaya, Zend zaredaya), is usually dissociated on account of the initial sound (we should have expected Sans. *çṛd) from the West Aryan class.