Where does “swainling” come from?
swainling (English) comes from English swain, from Middle English swayn, from Old English sweġen, from Old Norse sveinn, from Proto-Germanic swainaz, from Proto-Indo-European swé — self.
swainling (English): A little or young swain
Definitions
- A little or young swain
Ancestry of “swainling”, step by step
swainling traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English swain
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | swain | A young man or boy in service; a servant; A... |
| 2 | Middle English | swayn | squire, attendant of a knight; servant,... |
| 3 | Old English | sweġen | — |
| 4 | Old Norse | sveinn | boy, lad; servant, lackey |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | swainaz | relative; kinsman; young man; herder; herdsman,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | swé | self |
via English Ling
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ling | Any of various codlike saltwater fish often used as food by humans, those of the genus Molva, in the family Lotidae |
| 2 | Middle English | ling | Any of various varieties of heather or broom |
| 3 | Old Norse | lyng | heather, ling |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lingwą | heather, ling |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | lengʷʰom | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lengʷʰ- | light, agile, nimble; light, not heavy, agile,... |