Standard Lemma guide

swab

name · noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • swŏb
  • /swɒb/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɒb
  • CMU ARPABET: S W AA1 B Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A small piece of soft, absorbent material, such as gauze, used to clean wounds, apply medicine, or take samples of body fluids. Often attached to a stick or wire to aid access.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A sample taken with a swab (piece of absorbent material).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A mop, especially on a ship.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A sailor; a swabby.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A naval officer's epaulet.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • swab the deck of a ship

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

cleaning implement consisting of absorbent material fastened to a handle; for cleaning floors

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: swob, mop

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cleaning implement, cleaning device, cleaning equipment

Narrower terms: dustmop, dust mop, dry mop, sponge mop

10

noun

Meaning 10

implement consisting of a small piece of cotton that is used to apply medication or cleanse a wound or obtain a specimen of a secretion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: implement

11

verb

Meaning 11

apply (usually a liquid) to a surface

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • dab the wall with paint

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dab, swob

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: put on, apply

12

verb

Meaning 12

wash with a swab or a mop

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • swab the ship's decks

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: swob

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: wipe up, mop up, mop

History

Etymology

Mid 17th century (in the sense 'mop for cleaning the decks'): back-formation from Middle English swabber (“sailor detailed to swab decks”), from Middle Dutch zwabber, from a Germanic base meaning 'splash' or 'sway', also found as nautical German Schwabber and Volga German Schwabber ("scrubber, mop, swab")

Across languages

Translations

59 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: тампон (tampon) — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • Catalan: escovilló — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • Dutch: watje, prop — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • Faroese: tvørri — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • French: écouvillon — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • German: Tupfer — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • Irish: maipín — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • Italian: tampone — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • Latin: turunda — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • Māori: kope — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • Polish: wacik — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • Spanish: hisopo (Arg., Mex., Ur. y Ven.) — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • Welsh: swab — a small piece of soft, absorbent material
  • Dutch: uitstrijkje — A sample taken with a swab
  • German: Abstrich — A sample taken with a swab
  • Irish: maipíneacht — A sample taken with a swab
  • Italian: tampone — A sample taken with a swab
  • Macedonian: брис (bris) — A sample taken with a swab
  • Russian: мазок (mazok) — A sample taken with a swab
  • Spanish: frotis — A sample taken with a swab
  • Turkish: sıyırma — A sample taken with a swab
  • Welsh: swabiad — A sample taken with a swab
  • Catalan: escovilló — A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
  • Dutch: poetsvod,doekje — A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
  • German: Läppchen — A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
  • German: Tupfer — A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
  • Hungarian: rongy — A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
  • Hungarian: törlőrongy — A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
  • Irish: ceirt — A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
  • Italian: panno — A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
  • Italian: straccio — A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
  • Serbo-Croatian: tupfer — A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns
  • Bulgarian: моп (mop) — A mop, especially on a ship
  • Dutch: zwabber — A mop, especially on a ship
  • German: Wischmopp — A mop, especially on a ship
  • Ido: swabro — A mop, especially on a ship
  • Portuguese: cotonete — A mop, especially on a ship
  • Swedish: svabb — A mop, especially on a ship
  • Turkish: sıyırma — A mop, especially on a ship
  • Bulgarian: матрос (matros) — A sailor
  • Dutch: koopvaardijmatroos — A sailor
  • German: Seemann — A sailor
  • German: Matrose — A sailor
  • Hungarian: tengerész — A sailor
  • Bulgarian: бърша с моп (bǎrša s mop) — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • Dutch: zwabberen, dweilen — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • German: putzen — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • German: abputzen — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • German: wischen — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • German: abwischen — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • Ido: swabragar — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • Luxembourgish: betuppen — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • Māori: ūkui — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • Russian: вытира́ть (vytirátʹ) — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • Russian: чи́стить (čístitʹ) — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • Serbo-Croatian: obrisati — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • Swedish: svabba — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • Swedish: moppa — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab
  • Swedish: våttorka — To use a swab on something, or clean something with a swab