Where does “sward” come from?

Sward comes from Middle English sward, from Proto-Germanic swarduz, from Proto-Indo-European swer-.

sward (English): A layer of earth into which grass has grown;...

Definitions

  1. A layer of earth into which grass has grown;...

Ancestry of “sward”, step by step

sward traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English sword

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishswordA long-bladed weapon with a hilt, and usually a...
2Middle Englishswordsword, sabre; Military might or power
3Old EnglishswordAlternative form of sweord
4Old Englishsweorda sword
5Proto-Germanicswerdąsword
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswēr-heavy

via Middle English swerd

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishswerdAlternative form of sword; Alternative form of...
2Old Englishsweardskin, rind
3Proto-Germanicswarduzrind, tough skin; turf

Words derived from “sward

Every word from Proto-Indo-European swēr-