swaddle

verb

swad·​dle ˈswä-dᵊl 

swaddled; swaddling ˈswäd-liŋ 

ˈswä-dᵊl-iŋ

transitive verb

1

a

: to wrap (an infant) with swaddling clothes

b

: envelop, swathe

legs swaddled in bandages

2

: restrain, restrict

marriage … swaddled him in a domesticity he came to loathe

—Nina Auerbach

Examples of swaddle in a Sentence

He swaddled the baby in a blanket.

Recent Examples on the Web

The photo shows the newborn, swaddled in a white baby blanket and cuddled in his father’s arms. —Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 13 May 2024

Josh announced his birth with a simple post on Instagram of his newborn swaddled in the hospital blanket and hat, captioning it with his name. —Rebecca Aizin, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English swadelen, swathelen, probably alteration of swedelen, swethelen, from swethel swaddling band, from Old English; akin to Old English swathian to swathe

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

swaddle

verb

swad·​dle ˈswäd-ᵊl 

swaddled; swaddling ˈswäd-liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

: to wrap an infant with swaddling clothes