Definition of swimmer

The word "swimmer" can be traced back to the Old English word "swiman," which means "to swim" or "to float." This verb has root words that can be found in other Germanic languages such as Old High German "swiman" and Old Norse "swymr." In Old English, the noun "swimmer" was formed by adding the suffix "-er" to the verb "swiman" to indicate someone who performs the action of swimming. This noun is found in texts such as "Beowulf" and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, where it refers to people who were skilled swimmers, whether for recreation, transportation, or survival purposes. The spelling and pronunciation of the word "swimmer" have evolved over time due to changes in the English language. In Middle English, the word was spelled "swymmer" and pronounced [swimə], with a short "i" vowel sound. By the 15th century, the spelling had condensed to "swemer" and the pronunciation had changed to [swemə]. By the 17th century, the word had changed to "swimmer," which is its current spelling and pronunciation [ˈswɪmə]. Today, the word "swimmer" has a specific meaning and connotation in English. It refers to a person who swims, whether for sport, exercise, or competition. In other languages, such as German (Schwimmer) or Spanish (nadador), the word for "swimmer" is derived from the same root word "swim." However, the roots of these words go back further, to the Indo-European root "*swendh-," which means "beat, strike."