gorm

gorm · verb¹

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*gaumō
2. Old Norse · derived fromgaumr
3. Middle English · inherited fromgome
4. English todaygorm

A variant of gaum, from Middle English gome, from Old Norse gaumr, from Proto-Germanic *gaumō; compare Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌿𐌼𐌾𐌰𐌽 (gaumjan, “observe”), and see gaum for more. The -r- was not originally pronounced but was a device used by non-rhotic dialects of English to indicate vowel length or quality (compare Burma, Myanmar, and juggernaut).

gorm · verb²

A variant of gaum (itself likely a variant of gum), with the ‘r’ being a vowel-lengthening device common in non-rhotic dialects of English.

gorm · verb³

From gormandize/gormandise.

gorm · verb⁴

Supposed by some to be related to gormless and/or gorming, and by others to be related to gorm (“smear”) (itself probably related to gum (“make sticky; impair the functioning of”)).

Words from the same roots