# swab

> English word · Noun · IPA /swɒb/ · frequency rank #35,972

## Definitions
1. 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.
2. A sample taken with a swab (piece of absorbent material).
3. A piece of material used for cleaning or sampling other items like musical instruments or guns.
4. A mop, especially on a ship.
5. A sailor; a swabby.
6. A naval officer's epaulet.

## 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")

## Easily confused with
- **swim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swim)
- **swap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swap)
- **swan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swan)
- **sway** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-sway)
- **SWAT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swat)
- **swam** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swam)
- **swag** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swag)
- **swot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swot)
- **swig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swig)
- **swear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swear)
- **sweat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-sweat)
- **swamp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swamp)
- **swarm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swarm)
- **Swann** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swann)
- **swami** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swami)
- **swain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swain)
- **swath** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swath)
- **swank** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swank)
- **Swamy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swab-vs-swamy)
- **SA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sa-vs-swab)

## Common misspellings (6)
`sawb`, `sswab`, `swabb`, `swba`, `swwab`, `wsab`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/swab