An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/arm

by Friedrich Kluge

arm, adjective, ‘poor, unfortunate, miserable,’ from the equivalent Middle High German arm, Old High German aram, arm, adjective; compare Old Saxon arm, Dutch arm, Anglo-Saxon earm (obsolete in English), Old Icelandic armr, Gothic arms, adjective, ‘poor.’ A term common to Teutonic with no correspondence in the allied Aryan group; compare barmherzig, arg, Reich). —