a washing or immersion of something, especially the body, in water, steam, etc., as for cleansing or medical treatment.
I take a bath every day. Give the dog a bath.
a quantity of water or other liquid used for this purpose.
running a bath.
a container for water or other cleansing liquid, as a bathtub.
a room equipped for bathing; bathroom.
The house has two baths.
a building containing rooms or apartments with equipment for bathing; bathhouse.
Often baths one of the elaborate bathing establishments of the ancients.
the baths of Caracalla.
Usually baths a town or resort visited for medical treatment by bathing or the like; spa.
a preparation, as an acid solution, in which something is immersed.
the container for such a preparation.
a device for controlling the temperature of something by the use of a surrounding medium, as sand, water, oil, etc.
Metallurgy.
the depressed hearth of a steelmaking furnace.
the molten metal being made into steel in a steelmaking furnace.
the state of being covered by a liquid, as perspiration.
in a bath of sweat.
a city in Avon, in SW England: mineral springs.
a seaport in SW Maine.
a large container, esp one made of enamelled iron or plastic, used for washing or medically treating the body
the act or an instance of washing in such a container
the amount of liquid contained in a bath
to turn on the taps to fill a bath with water for bathing oneself
(usually plural) a place that provides baths or a swimming pool for public use
a vessel in which something is immersed to maintain it at a constant temperature, to process it photographically, electrolytically, etc, or to lubricate it
the liquid used in such a vessel
First recorded before 900; Middle English noun bath, beth, beath, Old English bæth; cognate with Old Frisian beth, Old Saxon, Old Norse bath, German Bad; from Germanic bátha-n “what is warmed,” from a root meaning “to warm”
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English bath(us), batus, from Latin batus, from Greek bátos, from Hebrew bath
The action of soaking or washing yourself in water is a bath. You might take a bubble bath to relax before bed after a stressful day. Your soak in soapy water is a bath, and the tub in which you're lying is also a bath. Other containers of water are baths too, particularly in cooking: "If the custard's sitting in a hot water bath, it will cook more evenly." While the Old English root bæð means "immersing in water," it also means "immersing in mud." If an investor "takes a bath," it means, colloquially, that she loses a lot of money.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"To say that the circumstances surrounding how they came to be in the bath are unusual would be an understatement," Raper said in the judgement.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Most nights, the family assistant takes care of bath time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
The primary bath has a wet room with a free-standing tub and shower.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
She's explored sleeping on the kitchen floor and having a cold bath every night.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
"There's hot water. Do you want a bath?"
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
A 2022 study from the University of Bath estimates that about 4.6% of people in the UK have climate anxiety, which is recognised as a form of mental distress by professional bodies and the NHS.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
However, after Fraser left the club following a disagreement with senior figures, Bath also departed and former City staff moved into senior academy positions.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Widdecombe was born in Bath, Somerset, in 1947 and went on to study Latin at Birmingham University, then philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
“The blockers here are solid contractual provisions, not phantom clauses” that Hudson Bay could waive without Bed Bath & Beyond’s consent, the three-judge panel wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
The Bath minister stepped behind the pulpit again, wheezed some to gain time, and then figured that they would conclude the service with “Bringing in the Sheaves.”
From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt
In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the Socialist Ba'th Party and the minority Alawite sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country.
From The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency
I can take up to three hot baths in a day if I have a great bathtub, if everybody’s taken care of.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
All of the bedrooms feature en suite baths, including the primary suite found on the main floor.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 26, 2026
As part of the bedtime routine, the NHS UK website, external recommends lukewarm baths.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
He was known to enjoy pondering economic minutiae while taking lengthy baths to relieve back problems.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
This Sun Maiden world of baths and fine jewelry and formal hair weaving was foreign to her, and she was no longer the prettiest girl whose beauty demanded the attention of everyone around her.
From "The Ugly One" by Leanne Statland Ellis
Yamal, as a baby boy himself, was famously pictured being bathed by then Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Maxine glides along, bathed in gratitude, making assured artistic decisions and certain that she is on the precipice of something that will change her life forever.
From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026
Looking at my computer, I find myself lingering over a beautiful wide-angle photo of a mountain peak: giant slabs of sharp rock, brushed with snow and bathed in sunlight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026
The inquiry heard evidence from an Aboriginal community living near a navy base in New South Wales state, who bathed in and gathered food near rivers contaminated by firefighting foam.
From Barron's ● May 28, 2026
Stones sank into the ground and revealed a single pillar bathed in light.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
Long-term services and support include medical and personal-care services like medication management and help with bathing, dressing, eating, walking and toileting.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
Like most Korean spas, Spa Hyu offers hot and cold pools for bathing in the buff, with separate men’s and women’s soaking areas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
The U.K. offers a cash allowance of up to $260 or so a week for those who struggle with basic functions like bathing, preparing food or managing finances because of physical or mental infirmities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
"I don't know if I look good in a bathing suit. I haven't had a bathing suit in a long time. I'm too busy," Trump said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
Many people were bathing in the river, and Ellsberg decided to try it.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
