Etymology
1. O.E.
wearm, from P.Gmc.
*warmaz (cf. O.S., O.Fris., M.Du., O.H.G., Ger.
warm, O.N.
varmr, Goth.
warmjan "to warm"), from PIE
*ghworm-/*ghwerm- (cf. Skt.
gharmah "heat;" O.Pers.
Garmapada-, name of the fourth month, corresponding to June/July, from
garma- "heat;" Arm.
jerm "warm;" Gk.
thermos "warm;" L.
formus "warm,"
fornax "oven;" O.Ir.
fogeir "heated;" Hitt.
war- "to burn"). The root also may be connected to that of O.C.S.
goriti "to burn,"
varu "heat,"
variti "to cook, boil;" and Lith.
verdu "to seethe." The distinction, based on degree of heat, between "warm" and "hot" is general in Balto-Slavic and Gmc., but in other languages one word often covers both (cf. L.
calidus, Gk.
thermos, Fr.
chaud, Sp.
caliente). In ref. to feelings, etc., attested from c.1480. Sense in guessing games first recorded 1860, from earlier hunting use in reference to scent or trail (1713).
Warm-blooded in ref. to mammals is recorded from 1793.
Warm-hearted first recorded c.1500.
2. Etymology tree
3. Proto-Germanic *warmaz
4. Proto-Indo-European *-yeti
5. Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti
6. Proto-Germanic *-janą
7. Proto-Germanic *warmijaną
8. Proto-West Germanic *warmijan
9. Old English wierman
10. Proto-West Germanic *warmōn
11. Old English wearmian
12. Middle English warmen
13. English warm
14. From Middle English warmen, wermen, wyrmen, from Old English wierman (“to make warm”) and wearmian (“to become warm”), from Proto-West Germanic *warmijan and *warmōn. Cognate with Dutch warmen, German wärmen, Swedish värma. See: Dutch '
warmen', German, old spelling '
wärmen', Swedish '
värma'.
Verbs referencing "warm"
Scots Gaelic
gar.