Where does “swear” come from?
Swear comes from Middle English swere, from Middle English sure, from Middle French sur, from Latin securus meaning "free from care," ultimately from Latin ex- and caput meaning "head."
swear (English): To take an oath, to promise; To use offensive,...
Definitions
- To take an oath, to promise; To use offensive,...
Ancestry of “swear”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | sware | Alternative form of square; A response to a query... |
| 2 | Old English | swaru | an oath, vow |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | swarō | a solemn statement or affirmation; oath; vow |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | swer- | to ache; to fester; wound; injury |
Words derived from “swear”