An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Of an oscillating system, the progressive decrease with time in the amplitude of the oscillation, due to friction (internal or external) or other resistance.

Etymology (EN): M.E. damp “black damp, a poison gas occurring in a mine,” from Mid.Du. or Mid. Low German; akin to O.H.G. damph “vapor.”

Etymology (PE): Mirâyi, noun from mirâ “getting extinguished, going out, expiring, dying,” from mordan, present tense stem mir- “to die,” Mid.Pers. murdan “to die,” O.Pers. mrt- “to die,” amriyta “dies,” martiya- “(mortal) man” (Mod.Pers. mard “man”), Av. mərəta- “died,” Skt. mar- “to die,” mrti- “death;” PIE base *mor-/*mr- “to die.” Cognates in other IE languages: Gk. emorten “died,” ambrotos “immortal,”
L. morior “I die,” mortuus “dead” (Fr. mourir “to die,” mort “dead”), Arm. merani- “to die,” O.C.S. mrutvu “dead,” O.Ir. marb, Welsh marw “died,” O.E. morþ “murder,” Lith. mirtis “man.”