Where does “sverfa” come from?
sverfa (Icelandic) comes from Old Norse sverfa, from Proto-Germanic swerbaną, from Proto-Indo-European swerbʰ- — to turn; wipe; sweep.
sverfa (Icelandic): to file
Ancestry of “sverfa”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | sverfa | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | swerbaną | to rub; wipe; polish; to file |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | swerbʰ- | to turn; wipe; sweep |