Etymology Dictionary

OAR,  a light pole with a flat blade, for rowing boats.  (E.)   M.E. ore, Havelok, 1871; Northern form ar, Barbours Bruce, iii. 576, 691.—A.S. ár, Grein, i. 34; the change from á to long o being quite regular. + Icel. ár. + Dan. aare. + Swed. åra.   β. Further allied to Gk. ὰμφ-ήρ-ης, double-oared, ἁλι-ήρ-ης, rowing through the sea, ἐρ-έτης, an oarsman, ἐρ-έσσειν, to row, ἐρ-ετμός, an oar = Lat. rēmus (for eretmus); also to Lithuan. ir-ti, to row, ir-klas, an oar; also to Skt. ar-itra, a rudder (orig. a paddle).   γ. All from the ✔AR, perhaps in the sense 'to drive;' see Curtius, i. 427, Fick, i. 19, iii. 22.   Der. oar, verb, Temp. ii. I. 118; oar-ed; eight-oar, i.e. eight-oared boat, &c.; oar-s-man, formed like hunt-s-man; from the same root we have also row, rudder.