swoon·ing I. \-niŋ, -nēŋ\noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English swowening, swouning, from iswowen, swoun being in a swoon (from Old English geswōgen in a swoon, lifeless) + -ing archaic: swoon < even disagreeable smells will sometimes occasion swoonings — William Buchan > II. adjective Etymology: from present participle of swoon (I) : characterized by languor of loss of consciousness • swoon·ing·lyadverb