Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “smierwan” come from?

smierwan (Old English) comes from Proto-West Germanic *smirwijan, from Proto-Germanic smirwijaną, from Proto-Germanic -janą, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti, from Proto-Indo-European yé-, from Chichewa iye — he, she.

smierwan (Old English): to anoint or rub with grease, oil, etc

Definitions

  1. to anoint or rub with grease, oil, etc

Ancestry of “smierwan”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-West Germanic*smirwijan—
2Proto-Germanicsmirwijanąto smear, anoint
3Proto-Germanic-janąDerives denominatives from nouns and factitives...
4Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
6Chichewaiyehe, she

Words derived from “smierwan”

  • smear
  • besmear
  • smearer
  • asmear
  • smearproof
  • smearable
  • smeareth
  • antismear
  • cytosmear
  • Smeargate
  • besmearer
  • smearest
  • bismerwen
  • smerien
  • smeren
  • besmierwan
Every word from Chichewa iye →