English
swan
Swan comes from Proto-Indo-European *swenh₂- ‘to sound’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*swenh₂-‘to sound’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*swónh₂-osreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*swanazliterally ‘the singing bird’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*swanreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150swan
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2010same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*swenh₂-‘to sound’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*swónh₂-osreconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*swanazliterally ‘the singing bird’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*swanreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150swan
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2010same form
Earliest quotation: 2010, Lee Rourke, The Canal: “He swans around that stinking office in his expensive…”
The story
Related also to Old English ġeswin (‘melody, song’), Old English swinsian (‘to make melody’). Further cognates include (possibly) Russian звон (zvon, “ring, chime”); Latin sonus (‘sound’), Sanskrit स्वन् (svan, “sound”).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *swenh₂- ‘to sound’
re, personal, sound, personnel, resonance, unison, resonate, sonnet, resonant, parson, sone, sonorous, consonance, 12 more
Today it means
noun Any of various species of large, long-necked waterfowl, of genus Cygnus (bird family: Anatidae), most of which have white plumage.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *swenh₂- / swan