An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Pfriem

by Friedrich Kluge

Pfriem (1.), m., from the equiv. MidHG. pfrieme. m., ‘awl’; corresponding to Du. priem, ‘awl, dagger’; allied to AS. preón, ‘awl, needle,’ E. preen, ‘tool for carding wool,’ OIc. prjónn, ‘nail, plug.’ With regard to the interchange of n and m romp. Boden, Feim, Pflaume, and Pilgrim.

Pfriem (2.), m., ‘broom’ (plant), based on Pfriem (1); from MidHG. pfrimme, OHG. pfrimma, f., ‘broom,’ with the variant brimma, which indicates that the word was borrowed; corresponding to Du. brem, ‘broom.’ The source of the cognates has not yet been discovered.