Where does “swarf” come from?
swarf (Middle English) comes from Old English ġeswearf, from Proto-Germanic swarbą, from Proto-Germanic swerbaną, from Proto-Indo-European swerbʰ- — to turn; wipe; sweep.
Ancestry of “swarf”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | ġeswearf | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | swarbą | that which is rubbed off; shavings |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | swerbaną | to rub; wipe; polish; to file |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | swerbʰ- | to turn; wipe; sweep |
Words derived from “swarf”