Dictionary.com

swabby

or swab·bie

[ swob-ee ]
/ ˈswɒb i /
Save This Word!
noun, plural swab·bies.
Slang. (in the Navy or Coast Guard) a sailor; gob.
QUIZ
WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?
Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!
Question 1 of 7
Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.
who
whom
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of swabby

First recorded in 1940–45; swab + -y2

Words nearby swabby

SVS, SW, S.W.A., swab, swabber, swabby, Swabia, Swabian, swacked, swaddle, swaddling clothes
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use swabby in a sentence

  • His mistress was also "Dutch," a "great swabby, fat woman," with a very ill disposition.

    The Underground Railroad|William Still
FEEDBACK