Where does “swainmote” come from?

swainmote (English) comes from English mote, from English motte, from French motte, from Old French mote, from Medieval Latin mota, from Frankish *mot, from Proto-Germanic *motta, from Proto-Germanic mutô — dark, dirty.

swainmote (English): A court held before the verderers of the forest...

Definitions

  1. A court held before the verderers of the forest...

Ancestry of “swainmote”, step by step

swainmote traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English mote

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmoteA small particle; a speck; May or might; Must
2EnglishmotteA raised earth mound, often topped with a wooden...
3Frenchmottemotte; clod, lump of earth; block
4Old Frenchmotemound, embankment
5Medieval Latinmotaa mound, hill; nominative feminine singular of...
6Frankish*mot
7Proto-Germanic*motta
8Proto-Germanicmutô
9Proto-Indo-European(s)mut-dark, dirty

via English swain

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishswainA young man or boy in service; a servant; A...
2Middle Englishswaynsquire, attendant of a knight; servant,...
3Old Englishsweġen
4Old Norsesveinnboy, lad; servant, lackey
5Proto-Germanicswainazrelative; kinsman; young man; herder; herdsman,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswéself

Words derived from “swainmote

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)mut-Every word from Proto-Germanic mutôEvery word from Proto-Germanic *motta