Where does “svartsvanur” come from?

svartsvanur (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic svartur, from Old Norse svartr, from Proto-Germanic swartaz, from Proto-Indo-European swordo- — dirty, dark, black.

svartsvanur (Icelandic): a black swan

Definitions

  1. a black swan

Ancestry of “svartsvanur”, step by step

svartsvanur traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Icelandic svartur

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicsvarturblack
2Old Norsesvartrblack
3Proto-Germanicswartazblack
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswordo-dirty, dark, black

via Icelandic svanur

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicsvanurwhooper swan
2Old Norsesvanrswan
3Proto-Germanicswanazswan
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswenh₂-to sound
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swordo- →Every word from Proto-Germanic swartaz →Every word from Old Norse svartr →