Word
swine
US/ˈswaɪn/
UK/swˈaɪn/
Definitions
01a pig
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Technical
n. a pig, especially when talking about farming or animals in a group.
n. a pig, specifically a member of the family Suidae; often used collectively in agricultural or technical contexts.
Español:suido
“The farmer kept a large herd of swine in the back field.”
“Veterinary researchers monitored the local swine population for signs of the new respiratory virus that had affected nearby farms.”
02an unpleasant person
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal · British English
n. a very cruel, selfish, or unpleasant person.
n. a contemptible, unpleasant, or disgusting person; used as a harsh derogatory epithet.
Español:suido
“He treated his staff like garbage; he really was a total swine.”
“The antagonist was portrayed as a manipulative swine who would betray his closest allies for a small profit.”
Usage
The plural form can be 'swine' (collective) or 'swines' (referring to multiple unpleasant people).
Real-World Examples
“In recent years in Russia, African swine fever wiped out enormous numbers of wild boar, a tiger’s favourite prey, causing many to target human settlements.” “Feral swine are found in at least 35 states in the U.S.” Etymology
From Middle English swyn, swin, from Old English swīn, from Proto-West Germanic swīn, from Proto-Germanic swīną, from an adjectival form of Proto-Indo-European *suH- (“pig”). Cognates Related to West Frisian swyn, Low German Swien, Dutch zwijn, German Schwein, Danish and Swedish svin, and more distantly to Polish świnia, Russian свинья́ (svinʹjá), Latin sūinus, Latin sūs, Ancient Greek ὗς (hûs), Persian خوک (xuk).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/swine
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0