swæs

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *swēsaz (“one's own, familiar, trusted”), *swēsa- (“own, relation”), from Proto-Indo-European. Cognate with Old Frisian swēs (“related”), Old Saxon swās (“dear”), Old Norse sváss (“dear, beloved”), Gothic 𐍃𐍅𐌴𐍃 (swēs, “own”). The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin sibi, Russian себя́ (sebjá).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /swæːs/

Adjective

swǣs

1. dear, beloved
   • 10th century, The Wanderer:

     Þonne bēoð þȳ hefiġran · heortan benne,
     sāre æfter swǣsne. · Sorg bið ġenīwad,

     Then heart's wounds are heavier,
     painful after beloved. Sorrow is renewed

2. own

Usage notes

• Occurs mostly, but not entirely, in poetry.

Declension

Declension of swǣs — Strong

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	swǣs	swǣs	swǣs
Accusative	swǣsne	swǣse	swǣs
Genitive	swǣses	swǣsre	swǣses
Dative	swǣsum	swǣsre	swǣsum
Instrumental	swǣse	swǣsre	swǣse
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	swǣse	swǣsa, swǣse	swǣs
Accusative	swǣse	swǣsa, swǣse	swǣs
Genitive	swǣsra	swǣsra	swǣsra
Dative	swǣsum	swǣsum	swǣsum
Instrumental	swǣsum	swǣsum	swǣsum

Declension of swǣs — Weak

Singular	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	swǣsa	swǣse	swǣse
Accusative	swǣsan	swǣsan	swǣse
Genitive	swǣsan	swǣsan	swǣsan
Dative	swǣsan	swǣsan	swǣsan
Instrumental	swǣsan	swǣsan	swǣsan
Plural	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	swǣsan	swǣsan	swǣsan
Accusative	swǣsan	swǣsan	swǣsan
Genitive	swǣsra, swǣsena	swǣsra, swǣsena	swǣsra, swǣsena
Dative	swǣsum	swǣsum	swǣsum
Instrumental	swǣsum	swǣsum	swǣsum

Derived terms

• ġeswǣsnes