Etymology

sward

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Today it means: Earth which grass has grown into the upper layer of; greensward, sod, turf; (countable) a portion of such earth. Full definition →

Middle English swerd ← Old English sweard ← Proto-Germanic *swarduz
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sward · noun, verb1

  1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*swarduz“rind; tough skin; turf”
  2. Old English · inherited fromsweard“rind; skin”
  3. Middle English · inherited fromswerd
  4. English todaysward

The noun is derived from Middle English swerd, sward (“rind, skin; leather strap; sod, turf”) [and other forms], from Old English sweard (“rind; skin”), from Proto-Germanic *swarduz (“rind; tough skin; turf”); further etymology unknown. The verb is derived from the noun.

sward · noun2

From a blend of sword + pardner.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.