Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “swath” come from?

swath (Middle English) comes from Old English swæþ, from Proto-Germanic swaþō, from Proto-Indo-European swem(bʰ)- — to bend, turn, swing; to be unsteady, move, swim.

swath (Middle English): Alternative form of swathe; Alternative form of...

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of swathe; Alternative form of...

Ancestry of “swath”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishswæþtrack, trace; footprint; bandage; swathe
2Proto-Germanicswaþōa wind-swept place; open field; borderland;...
3Proto-Indo-Europeanswem(bʰ)-to bend, turn, swing; to be unsteady, move, swim

Words derived from “swath”

  • swath
  • swathe
  • unswathe
  • swather
  • enswathement
  • enswathe
  • inswathe
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swem(bʰ)- →