Etymograph

English

swathing

Swathing comes from Middle English swathing ‘swaddling’, and goes back to Old English *swaþian.

  1. Old Englishc. 450–1150*swaþian1reconstructed
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500swathen2‘to swaddle’
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500swathing3‘swaddling’
  4. Englishtodayswathing3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Middle English swathen
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Middle English swathing
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English swathing

Lineage

  1. Old Englishc. 450–1150*swaþianWiktionary, Middle English swathenreconstructed
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500swathenWiktionary, Middle English swathing‘to swaddle’
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500swathingWiktionary, English swathing‘swaddling’
  4. EnglishtodayswathingWiktionary, English swathing

Formed from swathe + -ing

Old English swaþu ‘bandage’

Middle English swathe

English swathe

Every English word from Old English *swaþian

Today it means

verb A wrapping.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “swathing”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Middle English swathen, Middle English swathing. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Old English *swaþian / swathing

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