An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/zahm

by Friedrich Kluge

zahm, adjective, ‘tame, tractable, docile,’ from the equivalent Middle High German and Old High German zam; corresponding to Dutch tam, Anglo-Saxon tǫm, ‘E. tame, and Old Icelandic tamr, ‘tame, domesticated.’ Allied to zähmen, verb, ‘to tame, domesticate, break in, check,’ from Middle High German zęmen (zęmmen), Old High German zęmmen (from *zamjan), weak verb, ‘to tame’; corresponding to Gothic gatamjan, Old Icelandic temja, Dutch temmen, ‘to tame.’ The connection between the Teutonic cognates and Latin domare, Greek δαμᾶν, Sanscrit damáy (damany), ‘to subdue, compel,’ is undoubted. The relation of these cognates based on dom, ‘to subdue,’ to a similar root appearing in Modern High German ziemen (Teutonic root tem, ‘to be suitable, be fitted’) is obscure. Old High German zęmmen, ‘to tame,’ looks as if it were a causative of Old High German zëman, ‘to be adapted, suit excellently.’ In that case it is remarkable that the primary verb has been preserved in Teutonic only; but was it perhaps deduced from the causative? (see wecken).