swine English · revision 939

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /swaɪn/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|swine]], [[inh|ang|swīn]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from [[gem-pro|*swīną]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) originally an adjective formed from the Proto-Indo-European word for “pig” that also gave [[sow]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) It is related to [[de|Schwein]], [[nl|zwijn]], [[got|𐍃𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌽|tr=swein]] and Latin ''suīnus'' “of swine”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A pig, hog or wild boar, often used collectively in the plural sense (c. 725).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The native word has been largely replaced by [[pig]] in ordinary use,^(Etymonline) and ''swine'' is now used mainly in farming contexts and as a collective noun, as in ''two hundred head of swine''.^(Wiktionary) Applied to people, it has meant a sensual, degraded or coarse person since about 1380,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and is now a general term of contempt.^(OED 1989)^(AHD) The phrase ''pearls before swine'' comes from the Gospel of Matthew.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – a pig or hog.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * before 1100 – ''swineherd''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1380 – a coarse or degraded person.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1921 – ''swine flu''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of various stout-bodied, short-legged mammals of the family Suidae, such as [[pig|alt=pigs]], hogs and [[boar|alt=boars]], with thick skin and a movable snout.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A contemptible, brutish or coarse person.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[swineherd]]

+ * [[swinish]]

+ * [[swine fever]]

+ * [[swine flu]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sow]]

+ * [[pig]]

+ * [[hog]]

+ * [[porcine]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}