An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Jammer

by Friedrich Kluge

Jammer, m., ‘sorrow, grief, wailing,’ from the equiv. MidHG. jâmer, OHG. jâmar, m. and n.; prop. a neut. adj. used as a subst., OHG. jâmar, ‘mournful’ (hence Jammer, ‘that which is mournful’); in OSax. and AS. the adj. only exists, comp. OSax. jâmar, AS. geômor, ‘paiuful, mournful.’ The origin of this word, which is unknown to East Teut. (Goth. *jêmrs), is obscure.