swine

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /swaɪn/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪn

Etymology 1

From Middle English swine, swin, from Old English swīn, from Proto-Germanic *swīną, from an adjectival form of Proto-Indo-European *sū- (“pig”), equivalent to sow +‎ -en. Related to West Frisian swyn, Low German Swien, Dutch zwijn, German Schwein, Danish svin, and more distantly to Polish świnia, Russian свинья́ (svinʹjá), Latin sūs, Ancient Greek ὗς (hûs), Persian خوک‎ (xuk). See also sow.

Noun

swine (plural swine or swines)

  1. (plural swine) Any of various omnivorous, even-toed ungulates of the family Suidae.
  2. (pejorative) A contemptible person (plural swines).
  3. (slang, derogatory) A police officer; a "pig".
  4. (slang, derogatory) Something difficult or awkward; a pain.
    That old car is a swine to manoeuvre.
Derived terms
Translations

See also

  • Appendix:English collective nouns

Etymology 2

Noun

swine

  1. (archaic) plural of sow

Anagrams

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old English swīn, from Proto-Germanic *swīną.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /swiːn/
  • Rhymes: -iːn

Noun

swine (plural swines)

  1. A pig, hog or swine.
  2. The meat of swine or pigs; pork.
  3. (colloquial) A disgraceful individual

Synonyms

Descendants

References

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