Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “schweifen” come from?

schweifen (German) comes from Middle High German sweifen, from Old High German sweifan, from Proto-West Germanic swaipan, from Proto-Germanic swaipaną, from Proto-Indo-European kswoybʰ-e-ti, from Proto-Indo-European ksweybʰ- — to move swiftly, make a swift movement; to swing,...

schweifen (German): to wander, to rove; to curve

Definitions

  1. to wander, to rove; to curve

Ancestry of “schweifen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germansweifen—
2Old High Germansweifanto wind
3Proto-West Germanicswaipanto sweep
4Proto-Germanicswaipanąto sweep; to sway, swing; to cast, fling
5Proto-Indo-Europeankswoybʰ-e-ti —
6Proto-Indo-Europeanksweybʰ-to move swiftly, make a swift movement; to swing,...

Words derived from “schweifen”

  • Abschweifung
  • abschweifen
  • ausschweifend
  • ausschweifen
  • geschweift
  • abschweifend
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ksweybʰ- →