Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “alarming” come from?

Alarming derives from English alarm, from Middle English alarom, from Middle French alarme, from Italian all'arme! meaning "to arms!", from Latin arma meaning "weapons," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂(e)rmos.

alarming (English): present participle of alarm; causing...

Definitions

  1. present participle of alarm; causing...

Ancestry of “alarming”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishalarmA summons to arms, as on the approach of an...
2Middle Englishalarme—
3Middle Frenchalarme—
4Italianall'arme
5Latinarmadefensive arms, armor/armour, shields, weapons of...
6Late Latinarmistitium—
7Latinsisteresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanstísteh₂tito be standing up, to be getting up
9Proto-Indo-Europeansteh₂-to stand

Words derived from “alarming”

  • alarmingly
  • unalarming
  • nonalarming
  • alarmingness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- →