swamp en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈswɑmp/ (General-American)
- (US) audio
- /ˈswɒmp/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Early attestations (starting in 1624) are from North America, but the term was probably in local use in Britain earlier. The etymology is not entirely certain; it is probably a fusion of Middle English swam (“swamp, muddy pool, bog, marsh”, also “fungus, mushroom”) — from Old English swamm (“mushroom, fungus, sponge”), from Proto-West Germanic *swamm, from Proto-Germanic *swambaz, *swammaz — and Middle English sompe (“marsh, morass”), from either Middle Dutch somp, sump (“marsh, swamp”) or Middle Low German sump (“marsh, swamp”) (from Old Saxon *sump (“swamp, marsh”)), both from Proto-West Germanic *sump, from Proto-Germanic *sumpaz. *Swambaz, *swammaz and *sumpaz are likely related to each other, but it is unclear whether they are of Indo-European origin or are substrate words or wanderworts. The word has alternatively been suggested to be a borrowing from Dutch zwamp (“swamp, marsh, fen”). Other cognates include Middle Low German swamp (“sponge, mushroom”), Dutch zomp (“swamp, lake, marshy place”), German Low German Sump (“swamp, bog, marsh”), German Sumpf (“swamp”), Swedish sump (“swamp”). Related also to Dutch zwam (“fungus, punk, tinder”), German Schwamm (“mushroom, fungus, sponge”), Swedish svamp (“mushroom, fungus, sponge”), Icelandic svampur, sveppur (“fungus”), Gothic 𐍃𐍅𐌿𐌼𐍃𐌻 (swumsl, “a ditch”). Related to sump, swim.
Meanings
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An area of wet (water-saturated), spongy (soft) land, often with trees, generally a rich ecosystem for certain plants and animals but ill-suited for many agricultural purposes. (A type of wetland. Compare marsh, bog, fen.)
The vast swamps of Southern Ontario proved a grim nightmare to the construction gangs. Treacherous and seemingly bottomless, the swamps swallowed thousands of tons of timber and debris, yet still afforded no firm surface on which the track could be laid.
1954 February, Trevor Holloway, “Canada's Transcontinental Routes”, in Railway Magazine, page 128:Some small Marshes and Swamps there are, but more profitable than hurtfull.
1624, John Smith, Virginia IV., page 163
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(figuratively) A place or situation that is foul or where progress is difficult.
We two...in this swamp of iniquity...together we can bring redress to an unjust world.
2017, Cassandra Clark, Alchemist of Netley Abbey:
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(US) The alleged corruption, cronyism, inefficiency, and entrenched interests in the federal government, especially in Washington, DC.
On InfoWars, Alex Jones told his audience, "This is over the top sickening. Next they'll say Jeffrey Epstein never even existed. This is the swamp winning. No one is buying this."
2025 July 10, Jesus Mesa, “'We've Been Played': MAGA Faces Its Own Disappointment With Trump”, in Newsweek:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| swamps | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| swomp | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Brittons Swamp · swamp puppy · swamp-privet · swamp ape · swampland · swamp rabbit · swampwatcher · swamp ass · swamp pop · swamp angel · swamp cancer · swamp donkey · swamp eel · swampy · swamp crotch · food swamp · Round Swamp · swamp gum · swamp tiger · drain the swamp · Bakers Swamp · Moggs Swamp · backswamp · swamp tupelo · swamp cypress · swamp robin · swamp orchid · swamp partridge · swamper · swamp boat · Blackswamp · Reedy Swamp · Asian swamp eel · swamp oak · paleoswamp · Pinnacle Swamp · swamp maple · swamp pink · swamp harrier · swamplike · swamp chestnut oak · swampish · swampweed · swamp beggar-ticks · swamp blues · swampbusting · swamp crocodile · swamp pine · swampside · swampless · swamphen · fever-swamp · swamp cooler · swamp azalea · swampable · swamp cottonwood · swamp water · Six Mile Swamp · swamp holly · swamp Spanish oak · European swamp thistle · swampbuster · Emu Swamp · swamp cicada · Buckley Swamp · swamp deer · data swamp · swamp rat · swamp ore · swamp francolin · swamp taro · swamp monkey · swampbilly · swamplife · swamp oak tree · swamp nigger · swamp gas · swamp beacon · swamp antechinus · Tilley Swamp · swamp cat · swamp lily · swamp milkweed · peatswamp · swampprivet · swampful · swampdragon · Dismal Swamp · palaeoswamp · fever swamp · swamp wallaby · swamp white oak · Greenswamp · Chinese swamp cypress
Descendants
Relateds
petary · slough · sog · bogmire · wash · pocosin · syrtis · mire · pakihi · lagg · slue · bog · salting · wetland · bayou · morass · syrt · slack · peat bog · carr · everglade · salt marsh · fen · swale · muskeg · mangrove · salina · mangal · quagmire · marsh · quag · peatland · moor · swampland · moss
Translations (253)
alt баткак (type of wetland) · dsb błoto (type of wetland) · ar مُسْتَنْقَع (type of wetland) · ist paloû (type of wetland) · bdr rapak (type of wetland) · sh bȁra (type of wetland) · gag batak (type of wetland) · vi đầm lầy (type of wetland) · az sucuq (type of wetland) · mel payak (type of wetland) · az bataqlıq (type of wetland) · ccc pnajmule (type of wetland) · pam bana (type of wetland) · hsb błóto (type of wetland) · et soo (type of wetland) · lt raistas (type of wetland) · bn জলা (type of wetland) · ltg peiss (type of wetland) · sq ujësirë (type of wetland) · ltg pūrs (type of wetland) · bcl tibo (type of wetland) · ps دلدل زار (type of wetland) · ka ჭაობი (type of wetland) · th หนอง (type of wetland) · fi räme (type of wetland) · sv träsk (type of wetland) · nn myr (type of wetland) · tr bataklık (type of wetland) · is mýri (type of wetland) · tt баткак (type of wetland) · da mose (type of wetland) · ce уьшал (type of wetland) · ro mlaștină (type of wetland) · ba һаҙлыҡ (type of wetland) · fur bambuie (type of wetland) · pl trzęsawisko (type of wetland) · kaw rawa (type of wetland) · es certeneja (type of wetland) · ain ピㇷ゚ (type of wetland) · fi neva (type of wetland) · tyz buốc (type of wetland) · eo marĉo (type of wetland) · tk süýgeşiklik (type of wetland) · yag satana (type of wetland) · fr marais (type of wetland) · el έλος (type of wetland) · bg бла́то (type of wetland) · la palūs (type of wetland) · tg ботқоқ (type of wetland) · yi זומפּ (type of wetland) · scn pantanu (type of wetland) · tt сазлык (type of wetland) · uz botqoqlik (type of wetland) · mi mato (type of wetland) · lb Mouer (type of wetland) · km វាលភក់ (type of wetland) · cjs сас (type of wetland) · hu ingovány (type of wetland) · evn jaku (type of wetland) · ga seascann (type of wetland) · xcl եղտիւր (type of wetland) · th กระพัง (type of wetland) · kmr avzê (type of wetland) · mi kōrepo (type of wetland) · sq bërrakë (type of wetland) · gl braña (type of wetland) · ms tanah paya (type of wetland) · pox poro (type of wetland) · acw مُسْتَنْقَع (type of wetland) · nah achahuitl (type of wetland) · tzm ⴱⴰⵍⵎⴰ (type of wetland) · de Sumpf (type of wetland) · ht marekay (type of wetland) · my ပြားတော (type of wetland) · pl bagno (type of wetland) · ota خلاش (type of wetland) · ga bogach (type of wetland) · ru тряси́на (type of wetland) · hy ճահիճ (type of wetland) · ja 湿地 (type of wetland) · lmo padumm (type of wetland) · sl močvirje (type of wetland) · orv болото (type of wetland) · wa maraexhe (type of wetland) · id paya (type of wetland) · sw bwawa (type of wetland) · ps دلدل (type of wetland) · sv sumpmark (type of wetland) · koi нюр (type of wetland) · kk саз (type of wetland) · ko 늪 (type of wetland) · cs bažina (type of wetland) · nb myr (type of wetland) · nl zwamp (type of wetland) · lo ທົມ (type of wetland) · mi wairepo (type of wetland) · sv mosse (type of wetland) · mzn لش (type of wetland) · nb sump (type of wetland) · ps پلندۍ (type of wetland) · th มาบ (type of wetland) · yue 沼澤 /沼泽 (type of wetland) · nl moer (type of wetland) · mn балчиг (type of wetland) · jv rawa (type of wetland) · el βάλτος (type of wetland) · pt paul (type of wetland) · lo ບວມ (type of wetland) · udm нюр (type of wetland) · mel lamap (type of wetland) · sne paya' (type of wetland) · cs bahno (type of wetland) · bua намарга (type of wetland) · pt pântano (type of wetland) · mk мочу́риште (type of wetland) · es akalché (type of wetland) · uk боло́то (type of wetland) · pl bagnisko (type of wetland) · gd boglach (type of wetland) · ug سازلىق (type of wetland) · eu zingira (type of wetland) · lv staignums (type of wetland) · ota باتاق (type of wetland) · sah кута (type of wetland) · nl moeras (type of wetland) · ba һаҙ (type of wetland) · ru топь (type of wetland) · tk batga (type of wetland) · ain ピポㇰ (type of wetland) · fi suo (type of wetland) · tg ботлоқ (type of wetland) · grc ἕλος (type of wetland) · be бало́та (type of wetland) · cv шурлӑх (type of wetland) · lt pelkė (type of wetland) · evn lewë (type of wetland) · prs بَاطْلَاق (type of wetland) · sh мо̀чвара (type of wetland) · ml ചതുപ്പ് (type of wetland) · ky баткак (type of wetland) · id rawa (type of wetland) · ja 沼沢 (type of wetland) · km មមោក (type of wetland) · sv kärr (type of wetland) · cy cors (type of wetland) · kxd paya (type of wetland) · rup baltã (type of wetland) · tr batak (type of wetland) · ug ساز (type of wetland) · rsk мочар (type of wetland) · kk батпақ (type of wetland) · sq kënetë (type of wetland) · nap parula (type of wetland) · az sucuqluq (type of wetland) · fa-ira باتْلاق (type of wetland) · ms paya (type of wetland) · gl pantano (type of wetland) · lv muklājs (type of wetland) · gld нярон (type of wetland) · es embalsadero (type of wetland) · tl pinak (type of wetland) · ps باطلاق (type of wetland) · xcl ճահիճ (type of wetland) · lo ບຸ່ງ (type of wetland) · ro smârc (type of wetland) · wym gyzymp (type of wetland) · hi दलदल (type of wetland) · sk bahnisko (type of wetland) · rue боло́то (type of wetland) · he ביצה \ בִּצָּה (type of wetland) · evn bulë (type of wetland) · prs بَاتْلَاق (type of wetland) · km បឹង (type of wetland) · uz botqoq (type of wetland) · bho दलदल (type of wetland) · id rawa-rawa (type of wetland) · lnj nggi (type of wetland) · lv purvs (type of wetland) · pl moczar (type of wetland) · fr marécage (type of wetland) · lo ຊຳ (type of wetland) · fo mýra (type of wetland) · wyi bol-lok (type of wetland) · ja 沼地 (type of wetland) · et raba (type of wetland) · hu mocsár (type of wetland) · ba батҡаҡ (type of wetland) · fo bloti (type of wetland) · grc τέλμα (type of wetland) · kmr rihînok (type of wetland) · kl masarsuk (type of wetland) · pl błota (type of wetland) · ang fenn (type of wetland) · inh ушал (type of wetland) · txb kärkkālle (type of wetland) · ka ჭანჭრობი (type of wetland) · ca pantà (type of wetland) · sh mòčvara (type of wetland) · ru ба́ра (type of wetland) · ang mersċ (type of wetland) · ky саз (type of wetland) · bg треса́вище (type of wetland) · ast pantanu (type of wetland) · war katunggan (type of wetland) · csb błoto (type of wetland) · lo ບຶງ (type of wetland) · nl zomp (type of wetland) · wa frexhåd (type of wetland) · lt palios (type of wetland) · cmn 沼澤地 /沼泽地 (type of wetland) · tzm ⴼⵜⵉⵙ (type of wetland) · ja 沼 (type of wetland) · af moeras (type of wetland) · fo mýri (type of wetland) · my စိမ့် (type of wetland) · ug پاتقاق (type of wetland) · it palude (type of wetland) · fa-ira باطْلاق (type of wetland) · gag balta (type of wetland) · sah бадараан (type of wetland) · sq moçal (type of wetland) · mi hū (type of wetland) · mn намаг (type of wetland) · cmn 沼澤 /沼泽 (type of wetland) · cy gwern (type of wetland) · ur دَلْدَل (type of wetland) · fo keksi (type of wetland) · pdt Somp (type of wetland) · nl broek (type of wetland) · sh ба̏ра (type of wetland) · mdf шяйсь (type of wetland) · cu блато (type of wetland) · lv purvājs (type of wetland) · ps جبه زار (type of wetland) · aer artnepwe (type of wetland) · sk močiar (type of wetland) · de Moor (type of wetland) · km ត្រពាំង (type of wetland) · nn sump (type of wetland) · ain メㇺ (type of wetland) · az bataq (type of wetland) · mi hūhi (type of wetland) · sv myr (type of wetland) · umu máskeekw (type of wetland) · es pantano (type of wetland) · th บึง (type of wetland) · lb Supp (type of wetland) · ru боло́то (type of wetland) · si විල්ලු (type of wetland) · mi repo (type of wetland) · es suampo (type of wetland) · bua намаг (type of wetland) · es popal (type of wetland)