Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “swaying” come from?

Swaying comes from Middle English sweyen, from Old Norse sveigja, from Proto-Germanic swaigijaną, ultimately meaning to bend or move back and forth.

swaying (English): present participle of sway; The motion of...

Definitions

  1. present participle of sway; The motion of...

Ancestry of “swaying”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishswayThe act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or...
2EnglishswearTo take an oath, to promise; To use offensive,...
3Middle EnglishswareAlternative form of square; A response to a query...
4Old Englishswaruan oath, vow
5Proto-Germanicswarōa solemn statement or affirmation; oath; vow
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswer-to ache; to fester; wound; injury

Words derived from “swaying”

  • swayingly
  • unswaying
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swer- →