alarm

Where does the word "alarm" come from? It comes from Latin arma, passing through Italian and French before entering English (1400s).

Alarm’s story begins in Latin: arma meant “weapons, arms.” Italian soldiers' cry 'all'arme!', to arms!, gave the word. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Italian as all'arme. To arms!, a battle cry warning of attack, from arma. From there it passed into French as alarme by 1400s. Carried into French for a warning call or signal of danger. It reached English by 1400s as alarm. First recorded around 1400 in the poet William Langland, still as the battle cry 'to arms!'. Today, alarm means a warning sound or signal of danger, or a feeling of fear or anxiety.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient arma "weapons, arms", Italian soldiers' cry 'all'arme!', to arms!, gave the word.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · medieval all'arme "to arms!", to arms!, a battle cry warning of attack, from arma.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1400s alarme "a warning call or signal of danger", carried into French for a warning call or signal of danger.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1400s alarm "a warning signal of danger, or a feeling of fear", first recorded around 1400 in the poet William Langland, still as the battle cry 'to arms!'.