swine

[ swahyn ]

/ swaɪn /

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noun, plural swine.

any stout, cloven-hoofed artiodactyl of the Old World family Suidae, having a thick hide sparsely covered with coarse hair, a disklike snout, and an often short, tasseled tail: now of worldwide distribution and hunted or raised for its meat and other products.Compare hog, pig¹, wild boar.

the domestic hog, Sus scrofa.

a coarse, gross, or brutishly sensual person.

a contemptible person.

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Origin of swine

before 900; Middle English; Old English swīn; cognate with German Schwein hog, Latin suīnus (adj.) porcine; akin to sow²

OTHER WORDS FROM swine

swinelike, adjective

Words nearby swine

swindle, swindled, swindler, swindle sheet, Swindon, swine, swine fever, swine flu, swineherd, swine plague, swinepox

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use swine in a sentence

Pigs can catch both bird and human influenza, in addition to swine flu.
Gene editing has made pigs immune to a deadly epidemic|Katie McLean|December 11, 2020|MIT Technology Review
During that period, Sinovac gained approvals to sell influenza, avian flu and swine flu vaccines in China.
As China nears a coronavirus vaccine, bribery cloud hangs over drugmaker Sinovac|Eva Dou|December 4, 2020|Washington Post
Because the swine flu was not nearly as lethal as the novel coronavirus, there was not nearly as much need to halt its spread.
Vice presidential debate: Highlights and fact-checks|Colby Itkowitz, Anne Gearan, Matt Viser, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner|October 8, 2020|Washington Post
Based in Australia, the company is proud of a history that spans from its early use of plasma to beat diphtheria a century ago to helping develop the swine flu vaccine a decade ago.
Foreign Masks, Fear and a Fake Certification: Staff at CSL Plasma Say Conditions at Donation Centers Aren’t Safe|by J. David McSwane|September 21, 2020|ProPublica

In 2009, the WHO was accused of acting too early in declaring swine flu a pandemic, in part over concerns it had been pressured by pharmaceutical companies.
Explainer: What Donald Trump’s Funding Cuts To WHO Mean For The World|LGBTQ-Editor|April 15, 2020|No Straight News
Gerald Ford and the swine flu pandemic that never happened in 1976 is a cautionary tale that government action can backfire.
How Presidents Handle Pandemics|Eleanor Clift|October 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At “Iowa Swine Day” in 2013 he was voted the most effective speaker.
The Sleazy War on the Humane Society|Center for Public Integrity|August 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Reuters hedline: “Deadly swine virus sweeps U.S.” Disease is called porcine epidemic diarrhea.
P.J. O’Rourke on Pot, Putin, and Polygamy|P. J. O’Rourke|January 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In southern states like Texas, backyard encounters with feral swine have become routine.
Go Kill a Wild Boar|Justin Green|April 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Everyone in the mountains knew Hadji Murad, and how he slew the Russian swine.
The Chechen Grievance: Tolstoy’s ‘Hadji Murad’ After Boston|Benjamin Lytal|April 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST
That dwell in sepulchres, and sleep in the temple of idols: that eat swine's flesh, and profane broth is in their vessels.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
There are only four characters, to be sure, but 322 they are such a troop of swine!
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 25 (of 25)|Robert Louis Stevenson
This saying reminds us of that of our great Master: "Cast not your pearls before swine."
Beacon Lights of History, Volume I|John Lord
Howbeit one place is there wherein would I never seek for such a man 62 as thou, and that is in the swine-sty.
The Sagas of Olaf Tryggvason and of Harald The Tyrant (Harald Haardraade)|Snorri Sturluson
Cattle and swine were raised in countless numbers, the former more for draft purposes and the products of the dairy than for beef.
The Private Life of the Romans|Harold Whetstone Johnston

British Dictionary definitions for swine

swine

/ (swaɪn) /

noun

plural swines a coarse or contemptible person

plural swine another name for a pig

Derived forms of swine

swinelike, adjectiveswinish, adjectiveswinishly, adverbswinishness, noun

Word Origin for swine

Old English swīn; related to Old Norse svīn, Gothic swein, Latin suīnus relating to swine

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with swine

swine

see cast pearls before swine.

swine

Origin of swine

OTHER WORDS FROM swine

Words nearby swine

Words related to swine

How to use swine in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for swine

Derived forms of swine

Word Origin for swine

Other Idioms and Phrases with swine