Sweynesse

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A state of temporary unconsciousness or loss of awareness, such as when someone faints or swoons
2. The condition of having lost consciousness briefly, as happens when one suddenly becomes faint or weak
3. A temporary lapse into unconsciousness characterized by dizziness and the inability to remain alert

Etymology: In Middle English, "sweynesse" referred to a group of servants or attendants, a household's young men collectively. The first part comes from "sweyn," a servant or lad, borrowed from Old Norse "sveinn," which meant boy or young man. English already had a close cousin in "swain," from Old English "swān," originally a herdsman, so the same idea of a young male worker appears in both branches of the family. The ending "-nesse" is a collective and abstract suffix, from Old English "-nes(s)" and probably reinforced by Old French "-esse." Adding it to "sweyn" produced a term for the whole body of such attendants rather than one individual. The form was short-lived, and its exact range of use is not well documented.