An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Schwäre

by Friedrich Kluge

Schwäre, f., ‘ulcer, boil, sore,’ from MidHG. swër, OHG. swëro, m., ‘physical pain, disease, swelling, ulcer’; allied to MidHG. swërn, OHG. swëran, ‘to hurt, pain, fester, ulcerate.’ The root swer orig. perhaps ‘to press, torment’; comp. the Sans. root svṛ, ‘to torment, injure.’ See schwer and Geschwür.