*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of gwan

From various English dialects, notably Gullah.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
intj

Pronunciation spelling of going on. · Pronunciation spelling of go on. · Pronunciation spelling of going.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From various English dialects, notably Gullah.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "pos": "intj",
      "glosses": [
        "Pronunciation spelling of going on.",
        "Pronunciation spelling of go on.",
        "Pronunciation spelling of going."
      ],
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        "alt-of",
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
noun

A hybrid between a goose and a swan, especially the offspring of a gander (male goose) and a pen (female swan).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰh₂éns Proto-Germanic *gans Old English gōs Middle English gos English goose Proto-Indo-European *swenh₂-der. Proto-Indo-European *swónh₂-osder. Proto-Germanic *swanaz Proto-West Germanic *swan Old English swan Middle English swan English swan blend English gwan Blend of goose + swan.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":blend",
        "3": "goose",
        "4": "swan",
        "id": "animal hybrid",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *ǵʰh₂éns\nProto-Germanic *gans\nOld English gōs\nMiddle English gos\nEnglish goose\nProto-Indo-European *swenh₂-der.\nProto-Indo-European *swónh₂-osder.\nProto-Germanic *swanaz\nProto-West Germanic *swan\nOld English swan\nMiddle English swan\nEnglish swan\nblend\nEnglish gwan\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*gans\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"gōs\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"gos\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"goose\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*swónh₂-os\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*swenh₂-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*swanaz\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*swan\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"swan\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"swan\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"swan\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Blend of\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"blend\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"gwan\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"animal hybrid\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"gwan\" id=\"English:_animal_hybrid\">\nBlend of goose + swan."
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      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/ǵʰh₂éns#Proto-Indo-European:_goose"
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      "*gans",
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    ],
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      "gōs",
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    ],
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      "gos",
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    ],
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      "goose",
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    ],
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    ],
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    ],
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    ],
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        "A hybrid between a goose and a swan, especially the offspring of a gander (male goose) and a pen (female swan)."
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for gwan →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-Z3dhbg