# swabs

/ˈswɑbz/ (US) · /swˈɒbz/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/swabs
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

a small cotton stick doctors use to take a sample from your nose, mouth, or a wound. They also use it to clean skin before an injection.

For teachers: a small absorbent pad or cotton-tipped stick used to collect a sample from a surface or body cavity, or to clean and disinfect a wound.

## Examples

- The nurse uses swabs to clean the wound.
- The clinic keeps boxes of sterile swabs for throat tests and flu checks.
- Investigators collected DNA with cotton swabs from the door handle, sealing each sample to prevent contamination.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.