Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “swivel” come from?

Swivel comes from Middle English swyvel, from Old English swīfan, from Proto-Germanic swībaną, from Proto-Indo-European swey-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sew-.

swivel (English): A piece, as a ring or hook, attached to another...

Definitions

  1. A piece, as a ring or hook, attached to another...

Ancestry of “swivel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishswyvelswivel
2Old Englishswīfanto revolve, sweep, wend, intervene; to move,...
3Proto-West Germanic*swīban—
4Proto-Germanicswībanąto revolve; move around; sway; stray; to sweep;...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanswey-to twist, swing; to hiss; whistle; to swing,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeansew-to press out, extract; juice; liquid, rain; to...

Words derived from “swivel”

  • swivelly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sew- →