An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/dämisch

by Friedrich Kluge

dämisch, dämlich, adjective, ‘dull, drowsy, crazy,’ Modern High German only; a Middle German and Low German word (Bavarian damiš, taumiš); from a Teutonic root þêm, equivalent to Sanscrit tam (tâmyati), ‘to get tired, out of breath,’ whence Latin têmulentus, ‘drunk.’ Probably allied to the cognates of dämmern.