Where does “swabful” come from?

swabful (English) comes from English swab, from Proto-Germanic swēbaz, from Indo-European *swé.

swabful (English): As much as a swab holds

Definitions

  1. As much as a swab holds

Ancestry of “swabful”, step by step

swabful traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English swab

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishswabA small piece of soft, absorbent material, such...
2Proto-Germanicswēbazsomeone of the Suebi
3Indo-European*swé—

via English ful

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishful—
Every word from Indo-European *swé →Every word from Proto-Germanic swēbaz →Every word from English swab →