noun
swath
SWAHTH/swɑθ/
A broad strip or area of something.
A broad swath of freshly cut grass runs through the meadow.
Etymology
The Old English “track” became the line of cut grass left by a scythe, then the strip covered by one cut. That strip supplied the broader meaning of an extended area.
In context
picture something like the Louisiana Purchase this huge swath of land spreading from Florida all the way up to the Canadian border
More examples
- The storm leaves a swath of damage across town.
- She paints a bright yellow swath across the canvas.
- Large swaths of the forest remain untouched.
Forms
swath · swaths