Etymology Dictionary

HAMMER,  a tool for driving nails.  (E.)   M.E. hamer, hammer; Chaucer, C. T. 2510; Havelok, 1877.—A.S. hamor, Grein, ii. 11. + Du. hamer. + Icel. hamarr. + Dan. hammer. + Swed. hammare. + G. hammer; O.H.G. hamar.   β. Of doubtful origin; Curtius (i. 161) connects it with Church Slavonic kameni (Russ. kamene), a stone, Lithuanian akmů (stem akmen), a stone, Gk. ἄκμων, an anvil, thunderbolt, Skt. açman, a stone, thunderbolt; and remarks that 'in German, as in Slavonic, metathesis has taken place.'   This etymology appears to be correct; and the root is (probably) ✔AK, to pierce, the orig. sense of Skt. açman being 'pointed stone;' cf. Skt. açaní, the thunderbolt of Indra; and note the 'hammer of Thor,' i.e. a thunderbolt.   γ. Fick (iii. 64) says that the comparison of hammer with Skt. açman is 'not to be thought of,' and refers it to ✔KAM, to be crooked; but this gives no appreciable sense.   We should naturally expect the original hammer to have been a stone, and the metathesis of form is quite possible.   Der. hammer, verb, K. John, iv. 1. 67; hammer-head (a kind of shark).