Where does “sværdbrev” come from?

sværdbrev (Danish) comes from Danish brev, from Old Danish bref, from Old Frisian brēf, from Latin breve, from Latin brevis, from Proto-Italic *breɣʷis, from Proto-Indo-European mréǵʰus, from Proto-Indo-European mreǵʰ- — short.

sværdbrev (Danish): in Nordic folklore: a sword letter

Definitions

  1. in Nordic folklore: a sword letter

Ancestry of “sværdbrev”, step by step

sværdbrev traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish brev

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishbrevletter; note; epistle
2Old Danishbref
3Old Frisianbrēf
4Latinbrevenominative neuter singular of brevis; accusative...
5Latinbrevisshort, small, little, narrow; brief, short;...
6Proto-Italic*breɣʷis
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmréǵʰusshort; brief
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmreǵʰ-short

via Danish sværd

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishsværdsword
2Old Danishswærthsword
3Old Norsesverðsword
4Proto-Germanicswerdąsword
5Proto-Indo-Europeanswēr-heavy

via Old Danish sværdbrev

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Danishsværdbrevin Nordic folklore: a sword letter
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mreǵʰ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European mréǵʰusEvery word from Proto-Italic *breɣʷis