Swallowing
/ˈswɒl.əʊ.ɪŋ/noun
The act of causing something to pass from the mouth into the throat and esophagus.
Did you know?The verb ultimately comes from an ancient Germanic root meaning to gulp or take in, and English kept the same core idea for over a thousand years without any occult twist at all.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*swel-
“to swell, expand”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*swelaną
“to swell, grow large”
Old English
OE
swelgan
“to swallow, gulp down”
Middle English
ME
swolwen / swolghen
“to swallow”
Modern English
English
swallowing
“the act of taking food or liquid down the throat”