Where does “mansweren” come from?
mansweren (Middle English) comes from Old English mānswerian, from Old English swerian, from Proto-West Germanic swarjan, from Proto-Germanic swarjaną, from Proto-Indo-European swēr- — heavy.
Ancestry of “mansweren”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | mānswerian | to forswear, perjure oneself |
| 2 | Old English | swerian | to swear (an oath or a promise) |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | swarjan | to swear |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | swarjaną | to swear |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | swēr- | heavy |