Sweord

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An archaic spelling of sword, meaning a weapon with a long metal blade fixed to a hilt for cutting or thrusting
2. Old spelling for the long-bladed weapon with a handle and hilt, used for cutting or stabbing in earlier English
3. Obsolete form of the word for a weapon consisting of a long, sharp blade mounted on a grip and guard

Etymology: Old English "sweord" is the ancestor of modern "sword," and its spelling carries a clue to its sound. The "w" was pronounced, so the word was roughly "swe-ord," and the silent "w" in modern "sword" is a leftover from the way the word was once spoken. Sound changes gradually dropped the "w" sound before "o" while the spelling stayed put, which is why English spelling so often lags behind pronunciation. The word is Germanic and inherited, not borrowed. It has cognates in other early Germanic languages, such as Old Saxon "swerd," Old High German "swert," and Old Norse "sverð," all pointing to a common ancestor in the Germanic languages. Its deeper origins are uncertain, and scholars have not settled on a convincing Indo-European root.