Where does “slew” come from?
Slew comes from Middle Irish slúagh, from Old Irish slóg, from Proto-Indo-European slowgʰo-, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European slak-.
slew (English): The act, or process of slewing; A device used for...
Definitions
- The act, or process of slewing; A device used for...
Ancestry of “slew”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | slough | The skin shed by a snake or other reptile; Dead... |
| 2 | Middle English | slo | — |
| 3 | Old Swedish | slā | — |
| 4 | Old Norse | slá | to hit, beat, strike; to strike, pluck |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | slahaną | to hit, to strike; to kill |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | slak- | to hit; strike; to hit, strike, throw; to hit,... |
Words derived from “slew”