Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “swellen” come from?

swellen (Middle English) comes from Old English swellan, from Proto-West Germanic *swellan, from Proto-Germanic swellaną, from Proto-Indo-European swel- — to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,...

swellen (Middle English): To swell; to grow or become bigger or stronger;...

Definitions

  1. To swell; to grow or become bigger or stronger;...

Ancestry of “swellen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishswellanto swell
2Proto-West Germanic*swellan—
3Proto-Germanicswellanąto swell
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswel-to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,...

Words derived from “swellen”

  • swelling
  • swell
  • swollen
  • groundswell
  • swellest
  • swellable
  • swelleth
  • deswelling
  • upswell
  • unswollen
  • sweller
  • swelldom
  • overswollen
  • swollenness
  • underswell
  • nonswelling
  • swellish
  • swellability
  • swellfish
  • swellhead
  • swellingly
  • heartswelling
  • overswell
  • swellness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swel- →