Where does “ram” come from?
Ram derives from Middle English ram, Old English rūm, and Proto-Indo-European rem(w)-, rowə-, and rewh₁-, though the precise semantic development remains unclear.
ram (English): A male sheep, typically uncastrated; A battering...
Definitions
- A male sheep, typically uncastrated; A battering...
Ancestry of “ram”, step by step
ram traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English ram
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ram | male sheep, ram; Aries; pile driver, battering... |
| 2 | Old English | ramm | ram; battering ram |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *ramm | strong |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | rammaz | strong; overbearing; acrid; rank; A male sheep;... |
via Middle English rom
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | rom | — |
via Middle English ramme
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ramme | — |