dämlich

German

German Low German form that in standard usage replaced High German dämisch, damisch from the same source. Various theories about the etymology have been suggested:

It may be cognate to Latin tēmētum.
It may be related to taumeln (“to tumble”), but this is unlikely since forms with t- are not attested.
It may be related to dämmern (“to become dim”), but this is also rejected by the Duden and Kluge.
The Duden derives it from the Low German verb dämelen "not quite in one's right mind".
Kluge suggests it is from Proto-Germanic *þēm-, which (along with the Latin cognate tēmulentus (“drunk”)) is from Proto-Indo-European *tem- (“dazed, numbed”).

It is not related to Dame, despite popular folk etymology.

IPA^(key): /ˈdɛːmlɪç/ (standard; used naturally in western Germany and Switzerland)
IPA^(key): /ˈdeːmlɪç/ (overall more common; particularly northern and eastern regions)
Hyphenation: däm‧lich

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