swine

[swahyn]

noun

plural

swine 

1. any stout, cloven-hoofed artiodactyl of the Old World family Suidae, having a thick hide sparsely covered with coarse hair, a disklike snout, and an often short, tasseled tail: now of worldwide distribution and hunted or raised for its meat and other products.

2. the domestic hog, Sus scrofa.

3. a coarse, gross, or brutishly sensual person.

4. a contemptible person.

swine

/ swaɪn /

noun

1. a coarse or contemptible person

2. another name for a pig

Other Word Forms

• swinelike adjective
• swinishness noun
• swinishly adverb
• swinish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of swine¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English swīn; cognate with German Schwein hog, Latin suīnus (adj.) porcine; akin to sow ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of swine¹

Old English swīn; related to Old Norse svīn, Gothic swein, Latin suīnus relating to swine

Idioms and Phrases

see cast pearls before swine.

Example Sentences

The same goes for pigs — a single case was found among five backyard pigs in October in a non-commercial operation where swine mixed with poultry and other livestock.

From Salon

Human respiratory physiology is more like that of swines than felines.

From Salon

When patients are positive on a general flu test — a common diagnostic that indicates human, swine, or bird flu — clinics should probe more deeply, Nuzzo said.

From Salon

“African swine fever is spreading all over Europe,” said Michal Haring, a biologist from Slovakia, “and the wolf is a very good ‘doctor’ for this, suppressing the disease.

From BBC

Oregon state and federal officials confirmed Wednesday that H5N1 bird flu was found in a pig living Crook County — the first such swine infection reported in the current outbreak.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blackguard 
• bounder 
• cad 
• cur 
• knave 
• rogue 
• rotter 
• scoundrel 
• varlet 
• worm 
• wretch