swift etymology

Etymology:

  • Old English: swift
  • Middle English: swift
  • Old High German: swift
  • Proto-Indo-European: sweb- (to move or go quickly)

Meaning:

  • Moving or able to move very quickly
  • Rapid or prompt in action or movement

Origin:

The word "swift" has a long history, dating back to the Proto-Indo-European language, the common ancestor of many modern European languages. The Proto-Indo-European root *sweb- meant "to move or go quickly."

  • The Germanic languages, including Old English and Middle English, inherited the root *sweb- as "swift," meaning "fast."
  • The Old High German word "swift" referred to both physical speed and mental agility.
  • In Middle English, "swift" began to be used to describe birds and other animals that could fly or run quickly.
  • By the 16th century, "swift" was commonly used in English to describe any fast-moving object or person.

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