An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/schwer

by Friedrich Kluge

schwer, adj., ‘grievous, heavy, difficult,’ from MidHG. swœre, adj., OHG. swâri, swâr, adj., ‘heavy,’ with the adv. form OHG. swâro, MidHG. swâre; OSax. swâr, Du. zwaar, AS. swœ̂r, swâr, OIc. svárr, ‘heavy.’ Akin also to Goth. swêrs, ‘honoured, respected, weighty, as it were, for heart and sense’?. See wichtig, Gewicht. Comp. Lith. sweriù (svèrti), ‘to lift, weigh,’ swarùs, ‘heavy,’ svóras, sváras, ‘weight.’