bathe

1 of 2

verb

bathed; bathing

transitive verb

1
2
: to wash in a liquid (such as water)
3
: to apply water or a liquid medicament to
4
: to flow along the edge of : lave
5
: to suffuse with or as if with light

intransitive verb

1
: to take a bath
2
: to go swimming
3
: to become immersed or absorbed
bather noun

bathe

2 of 2

noun

1
2
British : swim, dip

Examples of bathe in a Sentence

Verb the cool waters of the North Atlantic bathe the island's shores bathe your contact lens with the solution before inserting them Noun We went for a bathe in the sea.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The soldiers tear off their blue-and-white uniforms and leap into an outdoor fountain to bathe; the camera dashes inside the villa to see the women throw their own white summer shifts in the air. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2024 Their heels and suits were bathed in LED lights and surrounded by smart floral arrangements. Essence, 3 Dec. 2024 This means washing bedding and clothing at least once weekly and showering or bathing regularly. Josephine Hessert, Verywell Health, 2 Dec. 2024 Ostensibly a biblical epic where the ultimate ending is Marcus accepting Christ and eternal life, The Sign of the Cross features an erotic lesbian dance, actress Claudette Colbert bathing in milk, and about 20 straight minutes of gladiator games that have the general vibe of a snuff film. James Grebey, Vulture, 22 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bathe 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English bathian; akin to Old English bæth bath

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

1747, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near bathe

Cite this Entry

“Bathe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bathe. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

bathe

verb
ˈbāt͟h
bathed; bathing
1
: to take a bath
2
: to go swimming
3
: to give a bath to
bathe the baby
4
: to apply a liquid to
bathe the eyes
5
: to cover with or as if with a liquid
a scene bathed in moonlight
bather
ˈbā-t͟hər
noun

Medical Definition

bathe

1 of 2 verb
bathed; bathing

transitive verb

1
: to wash in a liquid (as water)
2
: to apply water or a liquid medicament to
bathe the eye with warm water

intransitive verb

: to take a bath

bathe

2 of 2 noun
British
: the act or action of bathing : bath

More from Merriam-Webster on bathe

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