Etymology Explorer › Old Norse

Where does “sveinn” come from?

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

sveinn (Old Norse): boy, lad; servant, lackey

Definitions

  1. boy, lad; servant, lackey

Ancestry of “sveinn”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germanicswainazrelative; kinsman; young man; herder; herdsman,...
2Proto-Indo-Europeanswéself

Words derived from “sveinn”

  • boatswain
  • coax
  • Swansea
  • swain
  • coxswain
  • bosun
  • cox
  • swanimote
  • coaxer
  • coxless
  • swainmote
  • swainish
  • swainishness
  • swainling
  • coaxest
  • coaxeth
  • swainship
  • swaining
  • Sven
  • Svenja
  • Swansea
  • Soini
  • Soininen
  • soini
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swé →