Swinger
/ˈswɪŋ.ər/noun
A person or thing that swings, or a person who is sexually free or unconventional in lifestyle.
Did you know?The word is built on the ancient Germanic root behind motion and oscillation, and its modern slang sense only emerged in the 20th century through the verb *swing*, not any occult origin.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*swei-
“to move, bend, or swing”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*swinganą
“to swing, whip, or oscillate”
Old English
OE
swingan
“to beat, whip, or strike”
Middle English
ME
swingen
“to swing, move with a sweeping motion; also to whip”
Modern English
English
swinger
“one who swings; later, a person associated with sexually free social behavior”