Schirm
/skɜːrm/noun
A shelter, protection, or screen, especially in Scots English; also the German word for an umbrella or protective cover.
Did you know?The German word Schirm appears in compounds such as Bildschirm, literally “picture screen,” showing how an ancient protective idea evolved into modern technology.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*skermą
“A protective screen, covering, or shield; the reconstructed ancestor is related to later Germanic words for screening and sheltering.”
Old High German
Old High German
scirm
“A shield, protection, or covering.”
Middle High German
Middle High German
schirm
“A shield, defense, or protective cover.”
16th Century
German
Schirm
“A shield or protective covering; later, an umbrella or screen.”
18th Century
Scots English
schirm
“Shelter, protection, or a place of refuge.”
Modern English
English
schirm
“A chiefly Scots word meaning shelter or protection; also encountered in English discussions of the German term.”