swathe

1 of 2

noun

ˈswät͟h 

ˈswȯt͟h,

ˈswāt͟h

variants or swath

ˈswät͟h 

ˈswäth,

ˈswȯt͟h,

ˈswȯth

1

: a band used in swathing

2

: an enveloping medium

swathe

2 of 2

verb

ˈswät͟h 

ˈswȯt͟h,

ˈswāt͟h

swathed; swathing

transitive verb

1

: to bind, wrap, or swaddle with or as if with a bandage

2

: envelop

a mountain swathed by clouds

Synonyms

Verb

• bosom
• bower
• circumfuse
• cocoon
• embosom
• embower
• embrace
• enclose
• inclose
• encompass
• enfold
• enshroud
• enswathe
• envelop
• enwrap
• invest
• involve
• lap
• mantle
• muffle
• shroud
• veil
• wrap

Example Sentences

Verb

The nurse swathed the wounded soldier's leg in bandages.

Her neck was swathed in jewels.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

While some of us prefer to swathe ourselves and (our home decor) in warm musks and fresh florals, others may claim rich woods and sensual spices as their own signature scents. —Allure Editors, Allure, 13 Sep. 2022

But the chloroplasts swathe large portions of their flat, billowy bodies in a startling verdigris. —Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 28 Sep. 2021

As the morning sun pours in, the two women swathe machines in bubble wrap and place them in cardboard boxes. —Richard Mertens, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 June 2021

This is serious wine, delicious with its core of refreshing acidity swathed in ripe, sweet flavors of strawberries and melon. —Washington Post, 15 May 2020

Gros painted the extravagantly uniformed general, swathed in gilded sashes and crowned with a red-plumed hat, closer to 6 feet 8. —Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2020

One had floors swathed in grass and walls covered in Yayoi Kusama-like dots, decorated with cartoonish pixel art. —Andrew Dickson, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2020

Koretz said at a City Council meeting, his nose and mouth swathed by a butterscotch-yellow bandanna to make his point. —Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2020

This lucky painter has one swathed in a graphic Fromental wallpaper. —Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, 11 Feb. 2020

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English *swæth; akin to Old English swathian to swathe

Verb

Middle English, from Old English swathian

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

swathe

1 of 2 verb

ˈswät͟h 

ˈswȯt͟h,

ˈswāt͟h

swathed; swathing

1

: to bind, wrap, or swaddle with or as if with a bandage

2

: envelop

swathe

2 of 2 noun

ˈswät͟h 

ˈswȯt͟h,

ˈswāt͟h

variants or swath

ˈswät͟h,

ˈswäth,

ˈswȯt͟h,

ˈswȯth

: a band used in swathing