swabby

or swab·bie

[ swob-ee ]

noun

, plural swab·bies.

1. Slang. (in the Navy or Coast Guard) a sailor; gob.

Word History and Origins

Origin of swabby¹

First recorded in 1940–45; swab + -y ²

Example Sentences

You love working with Joe Mantello so much that when he directed the Sting musical, “The Last Ship,” you wanted him to write you a cameo role as an asexual deckhand named Swabby.

From New York Times

We were laughing about Swabby.

From New York Times

“I’m a swabby by choice,” he told me once.

From Literature

Carlyle, the swabby, is also there.

From Literature

Carlyle is the ship’s swabby—a guy with bright red hair in a short peach fuzz, and a smile friendlier than anyone else’s on the ship.

From Literature