English
Swineshead
Swineshead comes from Middle English Swynesheved, and goes back to Old English *Swīneshēafod.
- Old Englishc. 450–1150*Swīneshēafodreconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Swynesheved
- EnglishtodaySwineshead
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Englishc. 450–1150*Swīneshēafodreconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Swynesheved
- EnglishtodaySwineshead
A compound of swīnes ‘pig’ + hēafod ‘head’
Proto-Indo-European *suH- ‘pig’
Proto-Germanic *swīną ‘pig’
Proto-West Germanic *swīn ‘pig, swine’
Old English swīn ‘pig’
Proto-Indo-European *káput-
Proto-Germanic *haubudą ‘head’
Proto-West Germanic *haubud
Old English hēafod ‘head’
The story
The euphemistic forms Swanshead and Swayneshead were known in Early Modern English.
Every English word from Old English *Swīneshēafod
Today it means
name A small village and civil parish (served by Pertenhall and Swineshead Parish Council) in Bedford borough, Bedfordshire, England (OS grid ref TL0565).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old English *Swīneshēafod / Swineshead