swimming

[ swim-ing ]

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that swims.
2. the skill or technique of a person who swims.
3. the sport of swimming.

adjective

1. pertaining to, characterized by, or capable of swimming.
2. used in or for swimming:

   swimming trunks.

3. immersed in or overflowing with water or some other liquid.
4. dizzy or giddy:

   a swimming head.

Other Words From

• swimming·ness noun
• non·swimming adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of swimming¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English swimmende (adjective). See swim, -ing ², -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Williams also became the first person to complete a triathlon in space during her second mission in 2012, using a strength training machine in place of the swimming portion of the event.

From Salon

Britt also inspired the slapstick sidekick Harrogate in “Suttree,” which McCarthy was writing when they first met at a Tucson motel swimming pool where she went to safely shower away from her foster home.

From Los Angeles Times

“We don’t fence the ocean… but we do create protected swimming environments that provide safeguards and teach important lessons from a young age,” she told parliament earlier this year.

From BBC

“The two of us went swimming, with me in Natalie Wood’s bathing suit, and we had a great time.”

From Salon

To test this, the researchers recorded brain activity in mice during behaviors that alter breathing, such as sniffing, swimming, and drinking, as well as during conditions that induce fear and anxiety.

From Science Daily