Etymology

Both WA occurrences collocate with child-.  See the discussion at child-gered, and TPD 825n (who follow Luttrell 1962: 449–50).

PGmc Ancestor

(1) *garwj-; (2) *ger-

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

(1) gervi, gørvi ‘gear, apparel’; (2) gerr ‘greedy’
(ONP (1) gervi (sb.); (2) gerr (adj.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

(1) Icel gervi; (2) Icel gerr, Norw gjer

OE Cognate

(1) cp. gearwe ‘clothing’

Phonological and morphological markers

[absence of palatalization of */ɡ/] (may not be applicable)

Summary category

DD1

Attestation

See child-gered.

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

WA 824*, 1773

Bibliography

MED gēre (n.) (sense 5), Dance child-gered; (1) de Vries gervi, gørvi, gjǫrvi, Mag gervi, Heid. garwa-, Orel *ʒarwīn ~ *ʒarwjō, AEW gearwe (2), MED gēre (n.), OED gear (n.), Bj. 151, 307; (2) OED gere (n.), Heid. gera-, Orel *ʒeraz, Bense gere, Boutk-Sieb jeria, Loyd and Lühr ger, de Vries gerr (2); (3) MED chēre (n.1), OED cheer (n.1), AND chere (1), FEW cara