An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Feim

by Friedrich Kluge

Feim, masculine, ‘foam,’ from the equivalent MidHG. veim, Old High German feim, masculine; compare the corresponding Anglo-Saxon fâm, English foam, which are primitively allied to the equivalent Sanscrit phêna, Old Slovenian pěna. Modern High German abgefeimt, from an earlier abfeimen, ‘to skim’ (compare raffiniert, from French raffiner, ‘to refine’).