An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Scherflein

by Friedrich Kluge

Scherflein, n., ‘mite’ (coin), from the MidHG. schërf, OHG. scërf, n., ‘mite, very small coin’; comp. MidLG. scharf, schërf, ‘one-seventeenth of a penny’; allied to AS. sčeorfan, ‘to tear off’?. Comp. for a similar development of meaning ModHG. Deut, as well as Gr. κέρμα, lit. ‘part cut off,’ then ‘small coin.’ Scherbe is scarcely allied.