Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “swanimote” come from?

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

swanimote (English): Alternative form of swainmote

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of swainmote

Ancestry of “swanimote”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishswainmoteA court held before the verderers of the forest...
2EnglishmoteA small particle; a speck; May or might; Must
3EnglishmotteA raised earth mound, often topped with a wooden...
4Frenchmottemotte; clod, lump of earth; block
5Old Frenchmotemound, embankment
6Medieval Latinmotaa mound, hill; nominative feminine singular of...
7Frankish*mot—
8Proto-Germanic*motta—
9Proto-Germanicmutô—
10Proto-Indo-European(s)mut-dark, dirty
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)mut- →