Where does “swain” come from?
swain (Middle English) comes from Old English sweġen, from Old Norse sveinn, from Proto-Germanic swainaz, from Proto-Indo-European swé — self.
Ancestry of “swain”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | sweġen | — |
| 2 | Old Norse | sveinn | boy, lad; servant, lackey |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | swainaz | relative; kinsman; young man; herder; herdsman,... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | swé | self |
Words derived from “swain”