sough

sough · verb, noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*sweh₂gʰ-
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*swōganą
3. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*swōgan
4. Old English · derived fromswōgan“to make a sound; move with noise; rush; roar”
5. Middle English · derived fromswoȝen
6. Middle English · inherited from*sough
7. English todaysough

From Middle English *sough, swough, swogh, from Middle English swoȝen, swowen, from Old English swōgan (“to make a sound; move with noise; rush; roar”), from Proto-West Germanic *swōgan, from Proto-Germanic *swōganą from Proto-Indo-European *sweh₂gʰ-, same source as English echo (via Ancient Greek). Cognate with Scots souch (“sough”), Icelandic súgur (“a rushing sound, rustle”). Noun replaced Middle English swei, sweȝ from Old English swēg. More at swoon.

sough · noun, verb²

1. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*sīk“watercourse”
2. Old English · inherited from*sōh
3. Middle English · inherited fromsough
4. English todaysough

From Middle English sough (whence also Scots sheuch (“ditch”)), from Old English *sōh, ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *sīk (“watercourse”); compare dialectal Dutch zoeg (“ditch”), and English sitch.

Words from the same roots