An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/ziemen

by Friedrich Kluge

ziemen, vb., ‘to beseem, become, suit,’ from MidHG. zëmen, OHG. zëman, ‘to beseem, suit, be adapted, gratify'; corresponding to Goth. gatiman, OSax. tëman, Du. betamen, str. vb., ‘to be proper, suit.’ It has been suggested under zahm that OHG. zeman, ‘to suit,’ is a deduction from the causative zähmen (see zahm and Zunft). Allied to ziemlich, adj., ‘suitable, moderate, tolerable,’ from MidHG. zimelich, ‘proper, adapted.’