Dictionary

swath en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /swɑθ/ (US)
• /swɔð/
• (US) audio
• /sweɪð/
• /swɑð/ sense 2
• /swɔθ/
• /swɒθ/ (UK)

Etymology

From Middle English swath, swathe, from Old English swæþ, swaþu (“track; trace; footstep”), from Proto-Germanic *swaþō (“a wind-swept place; open field”), of unknown further origin. Has been derived from a Proto-Indo-European *swey- (“to bend, turn, swing”), and compared with Ancient Greek σιμός (simós, “snub-nosed”) and Welsh chwil (“reeling, staggering”), though this is uncertain, as well as the Greek comparandum being unlikely. Cognate with Dutch zwade, zwad (“swath; windrow”), German Schwade (“swath; windrow”), Icelandic svæði (“area; zone; sector; region”). other etymological information Corresponds to Middle Low German and Middle Dutch swat, Middle High German and MNG swade, NDu swad(e), Old Frisian swethe (“border”). Root meaning: trace of a cut. Attested in English since 888 in its obsolete meaning of track or trace, since 1475 in its more modern usage. Cognate with German Schwaden (“row of mown grass or grain”). No definite cognates outside Germanic languages. * See F. Kluge, Etymologisches Wörterbuch (De Gruyter), entry Schwaden, and OED.

Meanings

1. The track cut out by a scythe in mowing.
2. (figuratively, often) A broad sweep or expanse, such as of land or of people.
   • Five days after Hurricane Katrina, large swaths of New Orleans are still submerged in water.
   • A large swath of the population is opposed to this government policy.
   • It is undeniable that Malcolm was a beacon of huge strength in his lifetime. He could connect with swaths of people when others could not. 2015 February 20, Jesse Jackson, “In the Ferguson era, Malcolm X’s courage in fighting racism inspires more than ever”, in The Guardian (London):

Forms

Deriveds

cut a wide swath · swather · cut a swath

Relateds

math

Translations (50)

sk pás (expanse, a strip of land) · cs pás (expanse, a strip of land) · fr andain (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · fi lati (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · hu rend (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · cs řada (a group of persons) · uk прокі́с (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · ru проко́с (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · wa bate (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · fi laas (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · sh о̀ткос (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · de Reihen (a group of persons) · pl pas (expanse, a strip of land) · sk kus (expanse, a strip of land) · fi maa-alue (expanse, a strip of land) · hy լաս (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · de Reihe (a group of persons) · scn cumarca (a group of persons) · de Schwaden (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · sh slog (expanse, a strip of land) · hu sáv (expanse, a strip of land) · fi lakeinen (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · roa-gal andain (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · de Schneise (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · fi niittokaista (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · nl zwade (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · scn lenza (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · cs kus (expanse, a strip of land) · sk odkos (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · la striga (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · ar مَمَرّ (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · sk riadok (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · de Schwade (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · pl pokos (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · sk rad (a group of persons) · fi joukko (a group of persons) · de Haufen (a group of persons) · de Schwung (a group of persons) · de Landstrich (expanse, a strip of land) · nl zwad (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · sl odkos (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · fi laes (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · cs pruh (expanse, a strip of land) · de (breiter) Streifen (expanse, a strip of land) · ota یانصار (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · scn lenza (expanse, a strip of land) · sh òtkos (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · bg о́ткос (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing) · fi maakaistale (expanse, a strip of land) · fi niittoetuus (The track cut out by a scythe in mowing)