Where does “zwaardwalvis” come from?
zwaardwalvis (Dutch) comes from Dutch zwaard, from Middle Dutch swert, from Old Dutch swert, from Proto-West Germanic swerd, from Proto-Germanic swerdą, from Proto-Indo-European swēr- — heavy.
zwaardwalvis (Dutch): orca, "Orcinus orca"
Ancestry of “zwaardwalvis”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | zwaard | A sword, heavy blade weapon; A leeboard |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | swert | sword |
| 3 | Old Dutch | swert | sword |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | swerd | sword |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | swerdą | sword |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | swēr- | heavy |