swath
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English swath, swathe, from Old English swæþ, swaþu (“track; trace; footstep; mark; vestige; scar”), from Proto-Germanic *swaþō (“a wind-swept place; open field; borderland; terrain”), of unknown further origin.[1] Has been derived from a Proto-Indo-European *swey- (“to bend, turn, swing”), and compared with Ancient Greek σιμός (simós, “snub-nosed”) and Welsh chwil (“reeling, staggering”), though this is uncertain, as well as the Greek comparandum being unlikely.[2] Cognate with Dutch zwade, zwad (“swath; windrow”), German Schwade (“swath; windrow”), Icelandic svæði (“area; zone; sector; region”).
Corresponds to Middle Low German and Middle Dutch swat, Middle High German and MNG swade, NDu swad(e), Old Frisian swethe (“border”). Root meaning: trace of a cut.
Attested in English since 888 in its obsolete meaning of track or trace, since 1475 in its more modern usage. Cognate with German Schwaden (“row of mown grass or grain”).
No definite cognates outside Germanic languages.
- See F. Kluge, Etymologisches Wörterbuch (De Gruyter), entry Schwaden, and OED.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /swɒθ/
- IPA(key): (US) /swɑθ/, /swɔθ/, (sense 2) /swɑð/, /sweɪð/, /swɔð/
Audio (US): (file) - Rhymes: -ɒθ
Noun
swath (plural swaths)
- The track cut out by a scythe in mowing.
- (often figuratively) A broad sweep or expanse, such as of land or of people.
- A large swath of the population is opposed to this government policy.
- Five days after Hurricane Katrina, large swaths of New Orleans are still submerged in water.
- 2015 February 20, Jesse Jackson, “In the Ferguson era, Malcolm X’s courage in fighting racism inspires more than ever”, in The Guardian (London)[1]:
- It is undeniable that Malcolm was a beacon of huge strength in his lifetime. He could connect with swaths of people when others could not.
Derived terms
Translations
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References
- ^ https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=swath
- ^ Wolfgang Pfeifer, editor (1993), “Schwade”, in Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen (in German), 2nd edition, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, →ISBN
Anagrams
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old English swaþu.
Noun
swath
- alternative form of swathe (“swath”)
Etymology 2
From Old English *swaþian.
Verb
swath
- alternative form of swathen