Zorn (German)
Where does "Zorn" come from?
The German word 'Zorn' descends from the Proto-Germanic 'turnaz', which shares the same ancient roots as the Old English 'torn'. Its ultimate origin lies in the Proto-Indo-European root 'der-', meaning 'to flay or split,' suggesting that the original concept of anger was linked to the feeling of being torn apart or shattered. Through centuries of usage, the word evolved from Middle and Old High German into the modern term specifically describing intense wrath.
Full etymology tree
- Zorn (German), 'anger; wrath'
- inherited zorn (Middle High German), 'anger'
- inherited zorn (Old High German)
- inherited *turnaz (Proto-Germanic), 'bitter, embittered'
- inherited *dr̥-nós (Proto-Indo-European)
- derived *der- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to split, to separate'
- inherited *dr̥-nós (Proto-Indo-European)
- inherited *turnaz (Proto-Germanic), 'bitter, embittered'
- inherited zorn (Old High German)
- inherited zorn (Middle High German), 'anger'
Ancestors
- zorn (Middle High German)
- *turnaz (Proto-Germanic)
Cognates and doublets
- tear (English)
- torn (Old English)
Descendants and derived words
- zornig (German)
- zürnen (German)
Updated June 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris