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

Her death was ruled a homicide and DNA swabs taken from the body. —Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 2 Dec. 2024

The swabs are then sent to a lab, which will relay results to the ordering doctor, who will then update the patient. —Sony Salzman, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2024

Verb

Fernandez recalls the monotony of swabbing decks before getting a job in the mess. —Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024

Gene editing biosensors—shifting a technology from use for people to wildlife to detect the white-nose syndrome’s pathogen by swabbing a bat’s skin. —Noël Fletcher, Forbes, 28 Nov. 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