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Origin and history of sweltering

sweltering(adj.)

"oppressively hot, suffocating with heat" (of weather, seasons), 1590s, present-participle adjective from swelter (v.). Earlier, in Middle English, "fainting, swooning, ready to perish with heat." Related: Swelteringly.

also from 1590s

Entries linking to sweltering

swelter(v.)

mid-14c., swelteren, "faint or grow weak with heat, be ready to die with heat," frequentative of swelten "be faint" (especially with heat), from Old English sweltan "to die, perish," from Proto-Germanic *swiltan- (source also of Old Saxon sweltan "to die," Old Norse svelta "to put to death, starve," Gothic sviltan "to die").

This is perhaps originally "to burn slowly," hence "to be overcome with heat or fever," from PIE root *swel- (2) "to shine, beam" (see Selene). From the same ancient root comes Old English swelan "to burn." For specialization of words meaning "to die," compare starve.

Figuratively, of the heat of emotion or desire, by 1580s. Related: Sweltered; sweltering.

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