An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Klammer

by Friedrich Kluge

Klammer, feminine, ‘cramp, clamp, brace,’ from the equivalent Middle High German klammer, klamer, klamere, feminine, Old High German *klamara, feminine, is wanting; Scandinavian klǫmbr (genitive klambrar), feminine, ‘vice,’ and Middle High German klamere point to a Gothic *klamra or *klamara, feminine, which is connected with the Teutonic root klam, ‘to press together,’ appearing in Klamm. The equivalent Middle High German klampfer, feminine, and the Modern High German dialectic forms Klamper (Bavarian) and Klampfer (Carinthian) are abnormal; compare also English clamp and the equivalent Dutch klamp, masculine; the labial following the m presents some difficulties. Compare the next word.