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

For much of the second half of the Premier League season, Stamford Bridge was swaddled in green shoots. —Rory Smith, New York Times, 24 May 2024

In a sweet photo shared on Instagram, Jordan, 21, cuddles up with his little girl, who is swaddled in a pink and white blanket and wears a cap with a pink satin bow. —Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 22 May 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