harm
UK[hɑːm]US[hɑːrm]
n
Physical or mental damage or injury.
v
To cause physical or mental damage or injury to someone or something.
Etymology
The word 'harm' has a direct lineage from the Old English noun and verb 'hearm', which carried the core senses of injury, grief, and insult. This Old English term is cognate with Old Saxon 'harm', Old High German 'harm', and Old Norse 'harmr', all pointing to a shared Proto-Germanic root 'harmaz', meaning grief or pain. The semantic core has remained remarkably stable from its ancient Germanic origins, evolving from a general concept of grief and sorrow to focus more specifically on the infliction of damage or injury. Its journey into Modern English represents a straightforward preservation of a fundamental and enduring concept.
Analysis
The word is a simplex form. It originates from the Old English 'hearm', meaning injury, grief, or pain. Its functional role is as a complete lexical root.
Examples
The scandal caused significant harm to his reputation.
I would never do anything to harm you.
The new regulations are designed to prevent harm to the environment.