swineherd

noun

swine·​herd ˈswīn-ˌhərd How to pronounce swineherd (audio)
: one who tends swine

Examples of swineherd in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web One of the grottoes is known as Eumaeus’ Cave, in honor of the faithful swineherd who tended Odysseus’ pigs and is said (improbably, given the terrain) to have fattened them on acorns there. Judith Thurman, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023 The king of Barodia desires to become a swineherd. Sarah Schutte, National Review, 11 Apr. 2021 The doctor then replaces the ruler’s missing arm with a swineherd’s. Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2022 So do the breezy complacency of Menelaus, the innocence of Nausicaa, the gruff decency of the swineherd Eumaeus. Gregory Hays, New York Times, 5 Dec. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'swineherd.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of swineherd was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near swineherd

Cite this Entry

“Swineherd.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swineherd. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

swineherd

noun
swine·​herd ˈswīn-ˌhərd How to pronounce swineherd (audio)
: a person who tends swine

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