An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/sprießen

by Friedrich Kluge

sprießen, vb., ‘to sprout, shoot forth,’ from the equiv. MidHG. sprieȥen (OHG. *sprioȥan?), str. vb.; corresponding to Du. spruiten, AS. sprûtan, and E. to sprout. From this Teut. root sprū̆t, ‘to grow up,’ are derived E. to sprit, ‘to sprout’ (AS. spryttan), as well as AS. spreót, ‘pole, shaft,’ equiv. to Du. spriet, ‘javelin, spear, bowsprit,’ whence ModHG. Spriet in Bugspriet. Comp. further spritzen and Sprosse. No terms undoubtedly cognate are found in the non-Teut. languages.