Where does “zwerven” come from?
zwerven (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch swerven, from Old Dutch swervan, from Proto-Germanic swerbaną, from Proto-Indo-European swerbʰ- — to turn; wipe; sweep.
zwerven (Dutch): to wander, to roam
Ancestry of “zwerven”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | swerven | to rove; to stray |
| 2 | Old Dutch | swervan | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | swerbaną | to rub; wipe; polish; to file |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | swerbʰ- | to turn; wipe; sweep |
Words derived from “zwerven”