Where does “greatsword” come from?

greatsword (English) comes from English sword, from Middle English sword, from Old English sword, from Old English sweord, from Proto-Germanic swerdą, from Proto-Indo-European swēr- — heavy.

greatsword (English): Any generally straight-bladed double-edged sword...

Definitions

  1. Any generally straight-bladed double-edged sword...

Ancestry of “greatsword”, step by step

greatsword traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English sword

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishswordA long-bladed weapon with a hilt, and usually a...
2Middle Englishswordsword, sabre; Military might or power
3Old EnglishswordAlternative form of sweord
4Old Englishsweorda sword
5Proto-Germanicswerdąsword
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswēr-heavy

via English Great

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishGreatTaking much space; large
2Middle Englishgretegreat; massive; amazing
3Old Englishgrēatgreat, large; big, thick, coarse, massive
4Proto-West Germanicgraut
5Proto-Germanicgrautazcoarse, crude; big, large
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines

Words derived from “greatsword

Every word from Proto-Indo-European swēr-