Switzer

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An archaic term for a person born in or living in Switzerland, the country in central Europe
2. A dated word meaning a native or resident of Switzerland, the mountainous nation in central Europe
3. Refers to a man or woman from Switzerland, an older name for someone of Swiss nationality or origin

Etymology: The English word "Switzer" is a close relative of "Swiss," and it has its own history as a name for Swiss soldiers. It comes from early New High German "Schwytzer," the ancestor of modern German "Schweizer," meaning a Swiss person. The name ultimately derives from "Schwyz," the canton in central Switzerland that gave its name to the wider confederation, and from which the modern country takes its name in several languages. The word's special sense in English is tied to soldiering. In the 16th century, Swiss mercenaries were famous across Europe as pikemen and guards, and "Schwytzer" was often used specifically for a Swiss soldier or mercenary rather than any Swiss person. That military association is the main reason the English form survives today, as it was borrowed in that context and kept its foreign shape while "Swiss" became the everyday adjective and noun.