Etymology Dictionary

RAMSONS,  broad-leaved garlic.  (E.)   Put for hramsons.   'Allium ursinum, broad-leaved garlic, ramsons;' Johns, Flowers of the Field.   Ramsons = rams-en-s, a double pl. form, where -en represents the old A.S. plural, as in E. ox-en, and -s is the usual E. plural-ending.   We also find M.E. ramsis, ramzys, ramseys, Prompt. Parv. p. 422; and Way says that Gerarde calls the Allium ursinum by the names 'ramsies, ramsons, or buckrams.'   Here again, the suffixes -is, -eys, -ies are pl. endings.—A.S. hramsan, ramsons; Gloss. to Cockayne, A.S. Leechdoms; a pl. form, from sing. hramsa. + Swed. rams-lök (lök = leek), bear-garlic. + Dan. rams, or rams-lög (lög = leek). + Bavarian ramsen, ramsel (Schmeller). + Lithuan. kremusze, kremuszis, wild garlic (Nesselmann).   Further allied to Gk. κρόμυον, an onion, Irish creamh, garlic; Fick, iii. 83.   All from an Aryan form KARMA, whence KARMUSA, an onion, or garlic.