Etymology Explorer › Swedish

Where does “sväva” come from?

sväva (Swedish) comes from Old Swedish svæva, from Middle Low German swēven, from Old Saxon swivian, from Proto-Germanic swibāną, from Proto-Indo-European ksweybʰ- — to move swiftly, make a swift movement; to swing,...

sväva (Swedish): to hover, to soar

Definitions

  1. to hover, to soar

Ancestry of “sväva”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Swedishsvæva—
2Middle Low Germanswēven—
3Old Saxonswivian—
4Proto-GermanicswibānąTo move; sway
5Proto-Indo-Europeanksweybʰ-to move swiftly, make a swift movement; to swing,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ksweybʰ- →