Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “sweġen” come from?

sweġen (Old English) comes from Old Norse sveinn, from Proto-Germanic swainaz, from Proto-Indo-European swé — self.

Ancestry of “sweġen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsesveinnboy, lad; servant, lackey
2Proto-Germanicswainazrelative; kinsman; young man; herder; herdsman,...
3Proto-Indo-Europeanswéself

Words derived from “sweġen”

  • coax
  • swain
  • coxswain
  • cox
  • swanimote
  • coaxer
  • coxless
  • swainmote
  • swainish
  • swainishness
  • coaxest
  • swainling
  • coaxeth
  • swainship
  • swaining
  • cox
  • sweyn
  • swain
  • swayn
  • swein
  • cokswain
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swé →