Where does “swapling” come from?
swapling (English) comes from English Ling, from Middle English ling, from Old Norse lyng, from Proto-Germanic lingwą, from Proto-Indo-European lengʷʰom, from Proto-Indo-European lengʷʰ- — light, agile, nimble; light, not heavy, agile,...
swapling (English): An infant or child secretly exchanged for...
Definitions
- An infant or child secretly exchanged for...
Ancestry of “swapling”, step by step
swapling traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
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,... |