swaddle

verb

swad·​dle ˈswä-dᵊl 

swaddled; swaddling

ˈswäd-liŋ,

ˈswä-dᵊl-iŋ 

transitive verb

1

a

: to wrap (an infant) with swaddling clothes

b

: envelop, swathe

legs swaddled in bandages

2

: restrain, restrict

marriage … swaddled him in a domesticity he came to loathe

—Nina Auerbach

Examples of swaddle in a Sentence

He swaddled the baby in a blanket.

Recent Examples on the Web

Pope Francis swaddled the Baby Jesus in a keffiyeh. —Melvin Backman, Quartz, 10 Dec. 2024

Friend swaddles its user in protective surveillance. —Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2024

The attached bathroom includes a wet area swaddled in blue tiles with an indoor-outdoor shower space. —Mark David, Robb Report, 5 Dec. 2024

The man's adorable attempt to get a head start on swaddling has delighted internet users, generating more than 1.5 million views and over 365,300 likes. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English swadelen, swathelen, probably alteration of swedelen, swethelen, from swethel swaddling band, from Old English; akin to Old English swathian to swathe

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

swaddle

verb

swad·​dle ˈswäd-ᵊl 

swaddled; swaddling ˈswäd-liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

: to wrap an infant with swaddling clothes