Sworn
/swɔːrn/noun
Past participle of swear; bound by an oath or formally pledged.
Did you know?The same ancient root behind *sworn* also gave English the idea of an oath as something spoken aloud and made binding, which is why words like *swear* once carried a sacred legal force, not just casual promise-making.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*swer-
“to speak, say, or sound”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*swaraną
“to swear, take an oath”
Old English
OE
swerian
“to swear, make a solemn oath”
Middle English
ME
sworen
“sworn; pledged by oath”
Modern English
English
sworn
“bound by an oath; having made a solemn promise”