Swain
/sweɪn/noun
A young man; especially in older usage, a country lover or suitor.
Did you know?Swain ultimately comes from Old Norse sveinn, meaning “boy” or “servant,” a reminder that many “romantic” English words were born in a rough medieval world of rank and labor.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sweinaz
“boy, young man, servant”
Old Norse
ON
sveinn
“boy, youth, servant”
Old English
OE
swegen
“attendant, servant; young man”
Middle English
ME
swain
“young man; servant; country lover”
Modern English
English
swain
“a young man, especially a suitor or rustic lover”