swatch
/swɔt͡ʃ/noun, verb
swatch is spelled S-W-A-T-C-H: 6 letters and one syllable. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 36,565th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, swatch means “A piece, pattern, or sample, generally of cloth or a similar material” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of swatch is swatches.
How many letters and syllables are in swatch?
| Letters | 6: S-W-A-T-C-H |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 36,565th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is swatch?
Swatch appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 36,565th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce swatch?
- UK /swɒtʃ/
- US /swɔt͡ʃ/
- US /swɑt͡ʃ/
Swatch has one syllable (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-swatch.ogg, En-au-swatch.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of swatch
- swatches plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- swatching participle, present
- swatched participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does swatch mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A piece, pattern, or sample, generally of cloth or a similar material.
He held a swatch of the wallpaper up to see if the colors would match the room.
- 2
A selection of such samples bound together.
- 3
A clump or portion of something.
- 4
A demonstration, an example, a proof.
- 5
obsoleteA tag or other small object attached to another item as a means of identifying its owner; a tally; specifically the counterfoil of a tally.
ITEM that the said Clerkis of the Brevements entre all the Taillis of the Furniunturs in the Jornall Booke in the Countynghous every day furthwith after the Brede be delyveret to the Pantre and then the Stoke [i.e., main part] of the Taill
- 6
UKA channel or passage of water between sandbanks, or between a sandbank and a seashore.
verb
- 1
To create a swatch, especially a sample of knitted fabric.
Swatching is important in knitting to obtain the correct gauge.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Swatch in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does swatch come from?
From earlier Northern England dialectal swache (“the counterfoil or counterstock of a tally”) (1512); further etymology unknown. Cognate with Scots swach, swatch. Compare English swath, swathe. Compare also Old English swæcc (“taste; flavour; odour; fragrance”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).