swatch

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noun \ ˈswäch \

Definition of swatch

1 a :a sample piece (as of fabric) or a collection of samples

b :a characteristic specimen

2 :patch

3 :a small collection

4 :swath 2

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See swatch defined for kids

Examples of swatch in a Sentence

She looked at fabric swatches to select material for the drapes.

Recent Examples of swatch from the Web

Suffice to say, that curriculum covers a wide swatch of human endeavor.

— barb darrow, Fortune, "Bill Gates Gets a Lesson From Washington State’s Teacher of the Year," 22 Aug. 2017
The dining room is as colorful as the food itself, thanks to a bold yellow paint job with swatches of green, blue and red.

— james patrick kelly, idahostatesman, "Kibrom’s brings taste of Africa to Boise’s North End," 10 Aug. 2017
The school draws students from a wide swatch of the metro area.

— kara martinez bachman, NOLA.com, "NOCCA hits the high note with students all over New Orleans," 9 Aug. 2017
The foundation was busted up and hauled off long ago, but there are still a few shards of lumber, swatches of insulation, and a ten-foot section of an oak tree—

— brantley hargrove, Popular Mechanics, "How to Stop the Wind," 3 Aug. 2017
Almost any body fluid will fluoresce at 454 nanometers, but in this case the fluid is semen—though not from the original crime; that was all removed in swatches for evidence.

— jeffrey kluger, Time, "It Might Be Impossible to Get Away With Crime Some Day," 28 July 2017
In other words, there were clear signals that a wide swatch of people feel K-12 spending is important.

— milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Borsuk: Three signs supporting public schools is in vogue for politicians," 30 June 2017
This summer, the Gemeentemuseum, decked out in swatches of Mondrian hues, will display its cache for the first time, spotlighting more than 300 works representing every stage in the artist’s extensive career.

— the washington post, The Denver Post, "The Hague goes all in on primary colors for painter Piet Mondrian," 9 June 2017
On Twitter, Jeffree posted swatches of her three new Lip Kits and their names – Grape Soda, Poison Berry, and Strawberry Cream.

— kelsey stiegman, Seventeen, "Jeffree Star Announced Kylie Jenner's New Lip Kits Before She Could," 24 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'swatch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of swatch

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1647

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SWATCH Defined for English Language Learners

swatch

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noun

Definition of swatch for English Language Learners

: a small piece of cloth that is used as a sample for choosing colors, fabrics, etc.

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