An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Harm

by Friedrich Kluge

Harm, masculine, ‘harm, distress, sorrow,’ very rarely occurs in Middle High German and earlier Modern High German, probably formed from English harm and revived in the last century through the influence of English literature (compare Halle, Heim); Middle High German (entirely disused) harm, masculine, ‘injury, pain’; Old High German haram, Old Saxon harm, masculine, ‘affront, cutting words, mortification’; Anglo-Saxon hearm masculine, ‘insult, harm’; English harm; Old Icelandic harm, masculine, ‘grief, care.’ From pre-Teutonic *karma, Sanscrit *çarma?, çîrma?. This is also indicated by Old Slovenian sramŭ (from *sormŭ), masculine, ‘shame, disgrace.’ An Old German (Old High German and Old Saxon) compound, Old High German haramscara, Old Saxon harmscara, feminine, ‘outrageous, excruciating punishment,’ was retained as late as Middle High German, in which harn-, harm-schar, ‘torment, distress, punishment,’ remained current, when Harm alone had already disappeared. Compare herb.