Where does “swellen” come from?
swellen (Low German) comes from Old Saxon swellan, from Proto-West Germanic *swellan, from Proto-Germanic swellaną, from Proto-Indo-European swel- — to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,...
swellen (Low German): to swell up; to bulge
Ancestry of “swellen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Saxon | swellan | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *swellan | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | swellaną | to swell |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | swel- | to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,... |