Etymology

ram

R1A1M3

Today it means: A male sheep, typically uncastrated. Full definition →

Middle English ram ← Old English ramm ← Proto-Germanic *rammaz
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ram · noun1

  1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*rammaz“ram”
  2. Old English · inherited fromramm“ram”
  3. Middle English · inherited fromram
  4. English todayram

From Middle English ram, rom, ramme, from Old English ramm (“ram”), from Proto-Germanic *rammaz (“ram”), possibly from *rammaz (“strong”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Rom (“ram”), Dutch ram (“a male sheep”), German Ramm, Ramme (“ram”). Possibly akin also to Danish ram (“sharp; acrid; rank”), Swedish ram (“strong; perfect”), Faroese ramur (“strong; competent”), Icelandic rammur (“strong; sturdy”).

ram · verb2

  1. Middle English · inherited fromrammen
  2. English todayram

From Middle English rammen, from the noun (see above). Compare Old High German rammen.

ram · adjective3

  1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*rammaz“strong, overbearing; acrid, rank”
  2. Old Norse · derived fromramr
  3. English todayram

Likely from Old Norse ramr, rammr (“strong, rank, bitter”), from Proto-Germanic *rammaz (“strong, overbearing; acrid, rank”), perhaps ultimately related to Etymology 1 above. Compare Scots ram (“a rank odour”). Compare also Middle English rammish (“rank, offensive in smell”).

Ram · proper noun4

From ram, the animal the constellation is figured as. Football sense, the animal of the mascot for the sports team.

Ram · proper noun5

  1. Hebrew · borrowed fromרָם
  2. English todayRam

From Hebrew רָם (ram).

Ram · noun6

From ram (“strike forcefully”).

Words from the same roots

Old Englishramm all →

Ramsbottom

Hebrewרָם all →

Ramm

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.