'clamp' originates from Middle Dutch, specifically the word 'klampe,' where 'klampe' meant 'a piece of iron or wood used to fasten things together.'

'klampe' transformed into the Middle English word 'clamp,' and eventually became the modern English word 'clamp.'

Initially, it meant 'a piece of iron or wood used to fasten things together,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.