bathe

1 of 2

verb

ˈbāt͟h 

bathed; bathing

transitive verb

1

: moisten, wet

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

ˈbā-t͟hər 

noun

bathe

2 of 2

noun

1

British : bath entry 1 sense 1

2

British : swim, dip

Synonyms

Verb

• lap
• lave
• lip
• splash
• wash

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

Verb

Essa’s works in the show all feature an elegant woman bathed in blues and reds who seems divorced from any discernible narrative. —Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 19 Dec. 2024

The film is bathed in hues of neon pinks and greens, setting the stage for this ’90s nostalgia trip, reminiscent of the late-night TV shows we weren’t supposed to watch. —Robert Lang, Deadline, 19 Dec. 2024

And other honest questions about bathing Washing your body seems like a no-brainer. —Malaka Gharib, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024

What Are The 10 Rarest Domestic Cat Breeds? By Melissa Fleur Afshar Life and Trends Reporter 0 A cat's dramatic escape from a bathtub while their owner attempted to bathe them has left viewers online in hysterics. —Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024

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

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

ˈbāt͟h 

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