swath

noun

ˈswäth 

ˈswȯth

variants or swathe

ˈswät͟h 

ˈswȯt͟h,

ˈswāt͟h 

1

a

: a row of cut grain or grass left by a scythe or mowing machine

b

: the sweep of a scythe or a machine in mowing or the path cut in one course

2

: a long broad strip or belt

3

: a stroke of or as if of a scythe

4

: a space devastated as if by a scythe

Examples of swath in a Sentence

An aerial view of the countryside shows wide swathes of green.

He cut a swath through the field with his scythe.

Recent Examples on the Web

The promise of differential privacy (DP) is to let companies analyze and train models on swaths of data without exposing any single person's actual data to the model. —Rishabh Sambare, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025

Plenty of Target’s troubles have been self-inflicted in recent years, but as a big-box retailer that caters to large swaths of the population, its performance can offer insight into spending patterns ahead, especially when other companies have made similar comments. —Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2025

Its story clearly spoke to the widest swath of voters, even if many pundits predicted that the tonier, more highfalutin adult drama Conclave would emerge as a consensus winner. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2025

The researchers turned to a vast swath of rock called the Dalradian Supergroup located in present-day Scotland and Ireland. —Ars Technica, 28 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English swæth footstep, trace; akin to Middle High German swade swath

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for swath

• broth
• cloth
• doth
• froth
• goth
• loth
• moth
• wroth
• broadcloth
• cheesecloth
• loincloth
• neckcloth

Kids Definition

swath

noun

ˈswäth 

ˈswȯth

variants or swathe

ˈswät͟h 

ˈswȯt͟h,

ˈswāt͟h

1

a

: the sweep of a scythe or machine in mowing or the path cut in one course

b

: a row of cut grain or grass

2

: a long broad strip or belt

3

: a space destroyed as if by a mowing machine