Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “swap” come from?

Swap comes from Middle English swappen, whose origin and ultimate meaning are unknown.

swap (English): To exchange or give in an exchange; To hit, to...

Definitions

  1. To exchange or give in an exchange; To hit, to...

Ancestry of “swap”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishswap—
2Middle Englishswappea blow, strike, lash from a whip

Words derived from “swap”

  • swappable
  • swapper
  • swapt
  • swapsies
  • bodyswap
  • genderswap
  • swaplist
  • unswappable
  • swapling
  • swap
Every word from Middle English swappe →