Where does “swine” come from?
Swine derives from Middle English swine, Old English swīn, Proto-Germanic swīną, and Proto-Indo-European roots sewH- and sew-, ultimately referring to a pig or hog animal.
swine (English): A pig; A contemptible person; A police officer; a...
Definitions
- A pig; A contemptible person; A police officer; a...
Ancestry of “swine”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Welsh | swyn | spell, incantation; sorcery, witchcraft; magic... |
| 2 | Old English | swīn | pig |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | swīn | pig, swine |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | swīną | swine, pig |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | suH- | pig, hog, swine |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sewH- | to bear; to give birth |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sew- | to press out, extract; juice; liquid, rain; to... |