swæþ

Old English

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /swæθ/

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *swaþ, from Proto-Germanic *swaþō, from Proto-Indo-European *swem(bʰ)- (“to bend, turn, swing”).[1] Cognate with Old Norse svæði (“open field”).

Noun

swæþ n

  1. track, trace
  2. footprint
Declension
Declension of swæþ (strong a-stem)
Case Singular Plural
nominative swæþ swaþu
accusative swæþ swaþu
genitive swæþes swaþa
dative swæþe swaþum
Synonyms
Derived terms
Descendants
  • Middle English: swath, swathe
    • English: swath (“swath”)

Etymology 2

From Proto-West Germanic *swaþ-. Compare Middle Low German swēde (“dressing for a wound, wrap, compress, bandage”), Middle High German swede (“wound dressing, bandage”), Middle High German swade (“strip, band, film”).

Alternative forms
  • swaþu

Noun

swæþ ?

  1. bandage; swathe
Usage notes
  • The exact gender and nominative form are unknown, as the word is attested once in the dative plural form swaþum.
Derived terms
  • swaþul
Descendants

References
  1. Pokorny, Julius (1959) Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 3, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 3030
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