Where does “swelling” come from?
Swelling comes from Middle English swellen, from Proto-Germanic swellaną, from Proto-Indo-European swel-, a root meaning to surge or expand.
swelling (English): The state of being swollen; Anything swollen,...
Definitions
- The state of being swollen; Anything swollen,...
Ancestry of “swelling”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | swell | To become bigger, especially due to being... |
| 2 | Middle English | swellen | To swell; to grow or become bigger or stronger;... |
| 3 | Old English | swellan | to swell |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *swellan | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | swellaną | to swell |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | swel- | to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,... |