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Where does the word "swab" come from? It comes from Dutch zwabber, and was adopted directly into English (1650s).
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Where does the word "swab" come from? It comes from Dutch zwabber, and was adopted directly into English (1650s).
Swab’s story begins in Dutch: zwabber meant “mop.” A ship's mop, from 'zwabberen', to splash about. It reached English by 1650s as swab. Sailors 'swabbed' the decks; a 'swabbie' is a sailor. Today, swab means a pad for cleaning; to mop.
- Stage 1 · Dutch · 1600s zwabber "mop", a ship's mop, from 'zwabberen', to splash about.
- Stage 2 · English · 1650s swab "mop", sailors 'swabbed' the decks; a 'swabbie' is a sailor.