Where does “swarthness” come from?

swarthness (English) comes from English swarth, from English sward, from English sword, from Middle English sword, from Old English sword, from Old English sweord, from Proto-Germanic swerdą, from Proto-Indo-European swēr- — heavy.

swarthness (English): Archaic form of swarthiness

Definitions

  1. Archaic form of swarthiness

Ancestry of “swarthness”, step by step

swarthness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English swarth

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishswarthAlternative form of sward; swarthy; An apparition...
2EnglishswardA layer of earth into which grass has grown;...
3EnglishswordA long-bladed weapon with a hilt, and usually a...
4Middle Englishswordsword, sabre; Military might or power
5Old EnglishswordAlternative form of sweord
6Old Englishsweorda sword
7Proto-Germanicswerdąsword
8Proto-Indo-Europeanswēr-heavy

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa
2Middle Englishnesse
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swēr-