swab

1 of 2

noun

ˈswäb 

1

a

: mop

especially : a yarn mop

b(1)

: a wad of absorbent material usually wound around one end of a small stick and used especially for applying medication or for removing material from an area

(2)

: a specimen taken with a swab

c

: a sponge or cloth patch attached to a long handle and used to clean the bore of a firearm

2

a

: a useless or contemptible person

b

: sailor, gob

swab

2 of 2

verb

swabbed; swabbing

transitive verb

1

: to clean with or as if with a swab

2

: to apply medication to with a swab

swabbed the wound with iodine

Synonyms

Noun

• gob
• hearty
• jack
• jack-tar
• mariner
• navigator
• sailor
• salt
• sea dog
• seafarer
• seaman
• shipman
• swabbie [slang]
• swabby
• tar

Examples of swab in a Sentence

Noun

Use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to disinfect the area.

The doctor took a throat swab and sent it to the lab.

Verb

The nurse swabbed the cut with a disinfectant.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Share [Findings] Skin swabs are three times as accurate as fecal samples at predicting a person’s age. —Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024

Experts say a cheek swab might not provide a complete picture of biological aging. —Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 17 Oct. 2024

Verb

In March, doctors swabbed the infection and sent samples to a nearby laboratory. —Jess Craig, Vox, 1 Oct. 2024

That’s why your health care provider will likely swab the inside of your nose to check for signs of the virus (and rule out something else, such as the flu), infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells SELF. —Korin Miller, SELF, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably from obsolete Dutch swabbe; akin to Low German swabber mop

Verb

back-formation from swabber

First Known Use

Noun

1653, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1719, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing swab

• cotton swab

Kids Definition

swab

1 of 2 noun

ˈswäb 

1

a

: mop entry 1 sense 1

b

: a wad of absorbent material usually wound around one end of a small stick and used especially for applying medicine or for removing material (as from a wound)

also : a sample taken with a swab

2

: sailor

swab

2 of 2 verb

swabbed; swabbing

: to use a swab on

Medical Definition

swab

1 of 2 noun

ˈswäb 

1

: a wad of absorbent material usually wound around one end of a small stick and used for applying medication or for removing material from an area

2

: a specimen taken with a swab

a throat swab

swab

2 of 2 transitive verb

swabbed; swabbing

: to apply medication to with a swab

swabbed the wound with iodine