swaddle

/ˈswɒdəl/

//ˈswɒdəl// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"swaddle" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“swaddle” is uncommon English (frequency #76,371 among 54,294 “S” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#76,371
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To bind (a baby) with long narrow strips of cloth.

Key facts for swaddle
PropertyValue
Headwordswaddle
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈswɒdəl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#76,371
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “swaddle” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). swaddle lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

swaddle is uncommon English at frequency #76,371 among 54,294 “S” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈswɒdəl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

swaddle has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English swathlen (“to bind; swaddle”), from Middle English swathel, swethel, from Old English swaþul, swæþel, sweþel, sweoþol (“swaddling cloth”), equivalent to swathe (“to wrap with fabric”) + -le (agent/instrumental suffix), the word then unde… The correct English form is swaddle, spelled S-W-A-D-D-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To bind (a baby) with long narrow strips of cloth.
  2. 2
    To beat; cudgel.

Etymology

From Middle English swathlen (“to bind; swaddle”), from Middle English swathel, swethel, from Old English swaþul, swæþel, sweþel, sweoþol (“swaddling cloth”), equivalent to swathe (“to wrap with fabric”) + -le (agent/instrumental suffix), the word then underwent th-stopping (its voiced th became a d). Cognate with Middle Dutch swadel (“swaddling; bandage”), Old High German swedili (“poultice”), Old English sweþian, besweþian (“to wrap; swaddle”).

This word in other languages

fajar(Español)emmailloter(Français)wickeln(Deutsch)enfaixar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "swaddle"?
"swaddle" is spelled S-W-A-D-D-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈswɒdəl/.
What does "swaddle" mean?
As a verb, "swaddle" means: To bind (a baby) with long narrow strips of cloth.
How do you pronounce "swaddle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "swaddle" is /ˈswɒdəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "swaddle"?
From Middle English swathlen (“to bind; swaddle”), from Middle English swathel, swethel, from Old English swaþul, swæþel, sweþel, sweoþol (“swaddling cloth”), equivalent to swathe (“to wrap with fabric”) + -le (agent/instrumental suffix), the word... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “swaddle”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-W-A-D-D-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈswɒdəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list