Where does “swarm” come from?

Swarm comes from Old English swearm, from Proto-Germanic swarmaz, from Proto-Indo-European swer-, a root of uncertain meaning.

swarm (English): A large number of insects, especially when in...

Definitions

  1. A large number of insects, especially when in...

Ancestry of “swarm”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishswarmA swarm; A large group of people
2Old Englishswearmswarm
3Proto-Germanicswarmazswarm; dizziness
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswēr-heavy

Words derived from “swarm”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European swēr- →Every word from Proto-Germanic swarmaz →Every word from Old English swearm →