Etymology

Possibly from the root א־ל־ם, and if so comparable to Arabic أَلَم ‎(ʾalam, “pain, ache”). But compare also Aramaic אַרְמַלְתָּא ‎(ʾarmaltā) and Arabic أَرْمَلَة ‎(ʾarmala). One of the two consonantisms is likely due to assimilation and dissimilation processes.