Yearn
Old English giernan, from a Germanic base meaning ‘eager’.
wiktionary
The verb is derived from Middle English yernen, yern(“to express or feel desire; to desire, long or wish for; to lust after; to ask or demand for”)[and other forms], [1] from Old English ġeornan(“to desire, yearn; to beg”)[and other forms], from Proto-West Germanic *girnijan(“to be eager for, desire”), from Proto-Germanic *girnijaną(“to desire, want”), from *gernaz(“eager, willing”) (from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰer-(“to yearn for”)) + *-janą( suffix forming factitive verbs from adjectives). [2]
The noun is derived from the verb. [3]
Probably either: [4]
etymonline
yearn (v.)
Old English giernan (West Saxon), geornan (Mercian), giorna (Northumbrian) "to strive, be eager, desire, seek for, beg, demand," from Proto-Germanic *gernjan (source also of Gothic gairnjan "to desire," German begehren "to desire;" Old High German gern, Old Norse gjarn "desirous," Old English georn "eager, desirous," German gern "gladly, willingly"), from PIE root *gher- (2) "to like, want." Related: Yearned; yearning.
