swarm

Meanings

Noun

• A large number of insects, especially when in motion or (for bees) migrating to a new colony.
• A mass of people, animals or things in motion or turmoil.
• A group of nodes sharing the same torrent in a BitTorrent network.

Verb

• To move as a swarm.
• To teem, or be overrun with insects, people, etc.
• To fill a place as a swarm.
• To overwhelm as by an opposing army.
• To climb by gripping with arms and legs alternately.
• To breed multitudes.

Origin

• From Middle English swarm, from Old English swearm ("swarm, multitude"), from Proto-Germanic *swarmaz ("swarm, dizziness"), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- ("to buzz, hum"). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Swoorm ("swarm"), Dutch zwerm, German Schwarm, Danish sværm, Swedish svärm, Icelandic svarmur ("tumult, swarm"), Latin susurrus ("whispering, humming"), Lithuanian surma ("a pipe"), Russian свире́ль ("a pipe, reed").
• The verb is from Middle English swarmen, swermen, from Old English swierman ("to swarm"), from Proto-Germanic *swarmijaną ("to swarm"), from the noun. Cognate with Scots swairm, swerm, Dutch zwermen, German schwärmen, Danish sværme, Swedish svärma.