swap
English · Español · Français · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
swap¹
- /ˈswɒp/ UK
- /ˈswɑp/ US
Rhymes with -ɒp
Where it comes from
From Middle English swappen (“to swap”), originally meaning "to hurl" or "to strike", the word alludes to striking hands together when making an exchange; probably from Old English *swappian, a secondary form of Old English swāpan (“to swoop”). Cognate with German schwappen (“to slosh, slop”). Compare also Middle English swippen (“to strike, hit”), from Old English swipian (“to scourge, strike, beat, lash”), Old Norse svipa (“to swoop, flash, whip, look after, look around”). More at swipe.
verb swaps · swapping · swapped · swop
-
To exchange or give (something) in an non-normal exchange (for something else).
In an effort to provide more permanent accommodations, employers may offer employees the opportunity either to swap jobs with a colleague or to transfer to a new position.
Similar: exchange, switch, trade, interchange
-
To hit, to strike.
And he whipped his sword out of its scabbard, and swapped off the pudding from the black knight's nose. Unfortunately (for him) he swapped off a good bit of the nose, too.
Similar: bang
-
To beat the air, or ply the wings, with a sweeping motion or noise; to flap.
Similar: flap
-
To descend or fall; to rush hastily or violently.
Similar: fly
swap²
- /ˈswɒp/ UK
- /ˈswɑp/ US
Rhymes with -ɒp
Where it comes from
From the verb swap. First attested in 1620.
noun swaps · swop
-
An exchange of two comparable things.
I e’en changed it, as occasion served, with the skippers o’ Dutch luggers and French vessels, for gin and brandy[…] a gude swap too, between what cheereth the soul of man and that which dingeth it clean out of his body
Similar: barter, quid pro quo, trade
- A financial derivative in which two parties agree to exchange one stream of non-normal cashflow against another stream.
- Space available in a swap file for use as auxiliary memory. How much swap do you need?
- A social meal at a restaurant between two university societies, usually involving drinking and banter; commonly associated with fining and pennying; equivalent to a crewdate at Oxford University.
swap³
- /ˈswɒp/ UK
- /ˈswɑp/ US
Rhymes with -ɒp
Where it comes from
From Middle English swap, swappe (“a blow, strike, lash from a whip”), from the verb (see Etymology 1 above).
noun swaps · swop
- A blow; a stroke.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: barter, trade, swop, switch, exchange, bartering, substitute, trade-in, trading, sharing, share, interchange, interchangeable, reciprocity, swappable, redemption
Translations
Every language
verb exchange or give (something) in exchange for
| Español | canjear, cambalachear, permutar |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 교환하다 gyohwanhada |
| 日本語 | 取り替える torikaeru, 交換する kōkan suru |
| 中文 | 交換 /交换 jiāohuàn, 對調 /对调 duìdiào, 調換 /调换 diàohuàn |
| Português | trocar, intercambiar |
| Français | permuter |
| Deutsch | tauschen, austauschen, vertauschen, wechseln |
| Italiano | scambiare, barattare, permutare, commutare |
| Ελληνικά | ανταλλάσσω antallásso |
| Русский | меня́ться menjátʹsja, поменя́ться pomenjátʹsja, обме́ниваться obménivatʹsja, обменя́ться obmenjátʹsja, махну́ться maxnútʹsja |
| Tiếng Việt | giao hoán |
| العربية | مُبَادَلَة mubādala |
noun exchange
| Español | cambalache, canje, permutación, permuta, concambio |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 교환 gyohwan |
| 日本語 | 取り替え torikae, スワップ suwappu, 交換 kōkan |
| 中文 | 交換 /交换 jiāohuàn, 對調 /对调 duìdiào, 調換 /调换 diàohuàn |
| Português | troca |
| Français | échange |
| Deutsch | Tausch, Tauschgeschäft |
| Italiano | scambio, baratto, permuta |
| Ελληνικά | ανταλλαγή antallagí |
| Русский | обме́н obmén, ме́на ména |
| Tiếng Việt | sự giao hoán |
Talk about this word "swap." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/swap. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. swap. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/swap "swap." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/swap.Cite this
@misc{swap_2026,
title = {swap},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/swap},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
