swart

See also: Swart

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /swɔː(ɹ)t/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /swɔɹt/
• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)t

Etymology 1

From Middle English swart, from Old English sweart, from Proto-West Germanic *swart, from Proto-Germanic *swartaz, from Proto-Indo-European *swerd-. Doublet of Schwarz.

Adjective

swart (comparative swarter, superlative swartest)

1. Of a dark hue; moderately black; swarthy; tawny.
   • 1400s: Thomas Occleve, Hymns to the Virgin

     Men schalle then sone se / Att mydday hytt shalle swarte be

   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     A nation strange, with visage swart

   • c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:

     Lame, foolish, crooked, swart, prodigious,

   • 1637, John Milton, “Lycidas”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC:

     Of shades , and wanton winds , and gushing brooks ,
     On whose fresh lap the swart - star sparely looks

   • 1819, John Keats, Otho the Great, act II, scene I, verses 91-92:

     I'll choose a gaoler, whose swart monstrous face
     Shall be a hell to look upon […]

   • 1836, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Old Ticonderoga:

     The merry soldiers footing it with the swart savage maids

   • 1905, Samuel Major Gardenhire, The Silence of Mrs. Harrold - Page 277:

     The keeping eunuchs were at back, solemn in stately rows, bespeared and bescimitared, the Danish, Irish, and German of their countenances lost in the daub which made them swart.

   • 1925, Ezra Pound, Canto I:

     […] unpierced ever
     With glitter of sun rays
     Nor with stars stretched, nor looking back from heaven
     Swartest night stretched over wretched men there.

2. (UK dialectal) Black. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
3. (obsolete) Gloomy; malignant.
   • 1906, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], Time and the Gods‎, London: William Heineman, →OCLC, page 4:

     Suddenly the swart figure of Time stood up before the gods, with both hands dripping with blood and a red sword dangling idly from his fingers, and said: “Sardathrion is gone! I have overthrown it!”

Derived terms

• swarten
• swarty

Related terms

• forswart
• swartness

Noun

swart

1. (UK dialectal) Black or dark dyestuff.

Related terms

• swarth

Etymology 2

From Middle English swarten, from Old English sweartian, from Proto-West Germanic *swartōn, from Proto-Germanic *swartōną. By surface analysis, swart +‎ -en.

Verb

swart (third-person singular simple present swarts, present participle swarting, simple past and past participle swarted)

1. (transitive) To make swart or tawny; blacken; tan.

   to swart a living part

   • 1646, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica:

     […] the heate of the Sun, whose fervor may swarte a living part, and even black a dead or dissolving flesh,

Etymology 3

Variant of sward.

Noun

swart (uncountable)

1. Obsolete spelling of sward.
   • 1587, Raphael Holinshed, Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland‎:

     Howbeit where the rocks and quarrie grounds are, I take the swart of the earth to be so thin, that no tree of anie greatnesse, other than shrubs and bushes, is able to grow or prosper long therein for want of sufficient moisture wherewith to feed them with fresh humour, or at the leastwise of mould […]

Etymology 4

Noun

swart (plural swarts)

1. (Ireland dialectal) Variant of swath.

Further reading

• “swart”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney and Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1914), “swart”, in The Century Dictionary: An Encyclopedic Lexicon of the English Language, revised edition, volume V, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Straw, straw, warts

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch zwart, from Proto-Germanic *swartaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /swɑrt/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

swart (attributive swart or (chiefly of people or in figurative use) swarte, comparative swarter, superlative swartste)

1. black (colour)

   Antonym: wit

   ’n swart kat ― a black cat

2. (figurative) black, bad, ill-omened

   ’n swart(e) dag ― a black day

3. black, Black (classification of people)

   Coordinate terms: bruin, wit / blank

   ’n swart(e) vriend ― a Black friend

Inflection

Inflection of swart

	predicative	attributive	independent		partitive
			singular	plural
positive	swart	swart, swarte	swarte	swartes	swarts
comparative	swarter		swartere	swarteres	swarters
superlative	swartste			swartstes	—

German Low German

Alternative forms

• swatt (Münsterland)
• schwart (Paderbornisch)
• swaart (Bremian)

Etymology

From Middle Low German swart, from Old Saxon swart, from Proto-West Germanic *swart, from Proto-Germanic *swartaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /swart/, /swaːt/, /svaːt/
• IPA^(key): /zwart/, /zwaːt/
• IPA^(key): /swat/, /svat/

Adjective

swart (comparative swärter, superlative swärtst)

1. black

Declension

Positive forms of swart

gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		he is swart	se is swart	dat is swart	se sünd swart
partitive		een swarts	een swarts	wat swarts	allens swart
strong declension (without article)	nominative	swarte	swarte	swart	swarte
	oblique	swarten	swarte	swart	swarte
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	de swarte	de swarte	dat swarte	de swarten
	oblique	den swarten	de swarte	dat swarte	de swarten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	en swarte/swarten	en swarte	en swart/swartet	(keen) swarten
	oblique	en swarten	en swarte	en swart/swartet	(keen) swarten

Comparative forms of swart

gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		he is swärter	se is swärter	dat is swärter	se sünd swärter
partitive		een swärters	een swärters	wat swärters	allens swärter
strong declension (without article)	nominative	swärtere	swärtere	swärter	swärtere
	oblique	swärtern	swärtere	swärter	swärtere
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	de swärtere	de swärtere	dat swärtere	de swärtern
	oblique	den swärtern	de swärtere	dat swärtere	de swärtern
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	en swärtere/swärteren	en swärtere	en swärter	(keen) swärtern
	oblique	en swärtern	en swärtere	en swärter	(keen) swärtern

Superlative forms of swart

gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		he is de Swärtste	se is de Swärtste	dat is dat Swärtste	se sünd de Swärtsten
strong declension (without article)	nominative	swärtste	swärtste	swärtst	swärtste
	oblique	swärtsten	swärtste	swärtst	swärtste
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	de swärtste	de swärtste	dat swärtste	de swärtsten
	oblique	den swärtsten	de swärtste	dat swärtste	de swärtsten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	en swärtste/swärtsten	en swärtste	en swärtst	(keen) swärtsten
	oblique	en swärtsten	en swärtste	en swärtst	(keen) swärtsten

Note: This declension is one of many; neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.

Gothic

Romanization

swart

1. romanization of 𐍃𐍅𐌰𐍂𐍄

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch swart, from Proto-West Germanic *swart, from Proto-Germanic *swartaz.

Adjective

swart

1. black

Inflection

Adjective

		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	indefinite	swart	swarte	swart	swarte
	definite	swarte	swarte
accusative	indefinite	swarten	swarte	swart	swarte
	definite	swarte
genitive	indefinite	swarts	swarter	swarts	swarter
	definite	swarts, swarten	swarts, swarten
dative		swarten	swarter	swarten	swarten

Descendants

• Dutch: zwart
  • Afrikaans: swart
• Limburgish: zwart
• West Flemish: zwort

Further reading

• “swart”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “swart (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I

Middle English

Alternative forms

• (Early ME) sweorte, swearte, sweart, swærte
• swarte, suart, suarte, swert, swerte

Etymology

From Old English sweart, from Proto-West Germanic *swart, from Proto-Germanic *swartaz; compare Middle Dutch swart, Middle Low German swart, Middle High German swarz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /swart/, /swɛrt/

Adjective

swart (plural and weak singular swarte, comparative swarter)

1. Dark, oppressive, blackened.
2. Black; swart.
   1. Black-skinned, swarthy; having dark skin.
   2. (rare) Bruised, heavily wounded.
3. (rare) Evil, malign.

Derived terms

• swarten
• swartish
• swartnesse

Descendants

• English: swart, swarth
• Scots: swart

References

• “swart, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 23 June 2018.

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *swart, from Proto-Germanic *swartaz.

Adjective

swart

1. black

Inflection

Declension of swart (a-stem)

strong declension
case	masculine	feminine	neuter	plural
nominative	swart	swart	swart	swarta, swarte
accusative	swartan, swarten	swarta	swart	swarta, swarte
genitive	swartes	swartero	swartes	swartero
dative	swartin, swartemo	swartero	swartin, swartemo	swarton
weak declension
case	masculine	feminine	neuter	plural
nominative	swarto	swarta	swarta	swarton
accusative	swarton	swarton	swarta	swarton
genitive	swartin	swarton	swartin	swartono
dative	swartin	swarton	swartin	swarton

Descendants

• Middle Dutch: swart
  • Dutch: zwart
    • Afrikaans: swart
  • Limburgish: zwart
  • West Flemish: zwort

References

• “swart”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old Saxon

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *swart, from Proto-Germanic *swartaz.

Adjective

swart

1. black

Declension

Positive forms of swart

Strong declension
	singular			plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	swart	swart	swart	swarte, swarta	swarta	swart, swarta
accusative	swartan, swarten	swarta	swart	swarta, swarte	swarta	swart, swarta
genitive	swartes, swartas	swartara, swartaro	swartes, swartas	swartaro, swartoro, swartero	swartaro, swartoro, swartero	swartaro, swartoro, swartero
dative	swartumu, swartum, swartun, swartun, swarton, swarten, swartan	swartaro, swartaru, swartara	swartumu, swartum, swartun, swartun, swarton, swarten, swartan	swartun, swarton, swartum	swartun, swarton	swartun, swarton, swartum
Weak declension
	singular			plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	swarto, swarta	swarta, swarte	swarta, swarte	swarton, swartun	swarton, swartun, swartan	swarton, swartun
accusative	swarton, swartan	swartun, swarton, swartan	swarta, swarte	swarton, swartun	swarton, swartun, swartan	swarton, swartun
genitive	swarten, swartan	swartun, swartan, swarten	swarten, swartan	swartono, swarteno	swartono	swartono, swarteno
dative	swarton, swarten, swartan	swartun, swartan	swarton, swarten, swartan	swarton, swartun	swarton, swartun	swarton, swartun

Descendants

• Middle Low German: swart
  • Low German: swart
    • German Low German: swart, schwart

      Hamburgisch: swatt

      Westphalian:

      Münsterländisch: swatt

      Paderbornisch: schwart

      Lippisch: schwart

      Ravensbergisch: swārt, swat

      Sauerländisch: schwart, schwatt, schwuat, schwoart, schwuart, schwoert

      Westmünsterländisch: schwatt, schwott, schwart

      → German: schwatt

    • Plautdietsch: schwoat
  • → Danish: sværte (“black dye”)

Scots

Etymology 1

From Middle English swart, from Old English sweart, from Proto-West Germanic *swart, from Proto-Germanic *swartaz.

Noun

swart (plural swarts)

1. Black or dark dyestuff.

Etymology 2

From Old Norse svartr.

Adjective

swart (comparative mair swart, superlative maist swart)

1. Black; swarthy.

Derived terms

• swartback

West Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian swart, swert, from Proto-West Germanic *swart, from Proto-Germanic *swartaz.

Adjective

swart

1. black

Inflection

Inflection of swart
uninflected	swart
inflected	swarte
comparative	swarter
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		swart	swarter	it swartst it swartste
indefinite	c. sing.	swarte	swartere	swartste
	n. sing.	swart	swarter	swartste
	plural	swarte	swartere	swartste
definite		swarte	swartere	swartste
partitive		swarts	swarters	—

Further reading

• “swart (I)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011

Noun

swart n (plural swarten)

1. black

See also

Colors in West Frisian · kleuren (layout · text)

wyt	griis	swart
read	oranje; brún	giel
	grien
blaugrien		blau
fiolet	pears	rôze

Further reading

• “swart (II)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011