Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “swelten” come from?

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

swelten (Middle English): to die; faint

Definitions

  1. to die; faint

Ancestry of “swelten”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishsweltanto die
2Proto-West Germanic*sweltan—
3Proto-Germanicsweltanąto die; succumb
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswel-to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,...

Words derived from “swelten”

  • sweltering
  • swelter
  • swelteringly
  • swelt
  • sweltery
  • sweltersome
  • swaltren
  • sweltren
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swel- →