swath

Meaning

Noun

• The track cut out by a scythe in mowing.
• A broad sweep or expanse, such as of land or of people.

Origin

• From Middle English swath, swathe, from Old English swæþ, swaþu, from Proto-Germanic *swaþō, from Proto-Indo-European *swem(bʰ)-.
• Cognate with Dutch zwade, zwad, German Schwade, Icelandic svæði.
• Corresponds to Middle Low German and Middle Dutch swat, Middle High German and MNG swade, NDu swad(e), Old Frisian swethe.
• Root meaning: trace of a cut.
• Attested in English since 888 in its obsolete meaning of track or trace, since 1475 in its more modern usage.
• Cognate with German Schwaden ("row of mown grass or grain").
• No definite cognates outside Germanic languages.
• See F. Kluge, Etymologisches Wörterbuch (De Gruyter), entry Schwaden, and OED.