Middle English word swan comes from Proto-Indo-European *se, Proto-Indo-European *sun-, Proto-Indo-European *swenh₂-, Proto-Indo-European *s(w)e-, and later Proto-Germanic *swainaz (Herder; herdsman. Relative; kinsman. Young man.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *se | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *sun- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *swenh₂- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *s(w)e- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | separate, apart |
| *swainaz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Herder; herdsman. Relative; kinsman. Young man. |
| *swanaz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Swan. |
| swan | Old English (ang) | Boy; lad. Herdsman; herder. Man; warrior. Servant. |
| swān | Old English (ang) | |
| swan | Old English (ang) | Swan. |
| swan | Old English (ang) | Swan Boy; lad. Herdsman; herder. Man; warrior. Servant. |
| swan | Middle English (enm) |