Schwyz
- Location: Switzerland
- Variant names:
Suittes
A canton which, with Uri and Unterwalden, was a founding member of the Everlasting League formed in 1291 from which stemmed the present Swiss Confederation. In its local German form, Schweiz (now the German for Switzerland), it gave its name to the country. The valley in which the original village of Suittes is situated is highly forested and thus it may take its name from the Old High German
suedan 'to burn', indicating forest clearance. Schwyz is also the name of the canton's capital.
Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. Copyright © John Everett-Heath 2005. All rights reserved.
