Sweat
/swɛt/noun
A clear, salty liquid produced by glands in the skin to cool the body.
Did you know?In ancient times, sweating was believed to expel evil spirits, making it a form of ritual purification in various cultures.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sweḱ-
“to follow, to pursue; to flow (like a liquid)”
Old English
Old English
swēat
“moisture or perspiration from the skin”
Middle English
Middle English
swete
“the act of sweating; liquid that escapes from the skin”
14th Century
Middle English
sweat
“the excretion of moisture from the body through skin pores”
Modern English
English
sweat
“the clear, salty fluid produced by perspiration, specifically for thermoregulation.”