swidden

Meaning

Noun

An area of land that has been cleared by cutting the vegetation and burning it; slash and burn.

Verb

To clear an area of land by cutting and burning.

Synonyms

field

paddy field

Translations

brûlis

debbio

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈswɪdn̩/

Etymology

Cognate with Old Norse: sviðinn

In summary

Possibly from a dialectal form *swiden of Middle English swithen, past participle of Middle English swithen (“to burn, scorch, singe”), from Old Norse svíða (“to singe, burn”). Compare also Old Norse sviðinn (“burnt, singed”, past participle). Alternatively, from Old Norse sviðna (“to be burned”) or Old High German swedan (“to be burned”). Either way, probably ultimately from Proto-Germanic *swīþaną. First attested in 1868. If their respective theories align, then a distant cognate of German Schwyz, hence Swiss.