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swarm 1 (swôrm)
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n.
1. A large number of insects or other small organisms, especially when in motion.
2. A group of bees, social wasps, or ants, when migrating with a queen to establish a new colony.
3. An aggregation of persons or animals, especially when in turmoil or moving in mass: A swarm of friends congratulated him.
4. A number of similar geologic phenomena or features occurring closely within a given period or place: a swarm of earthquakes.
v. swarmed, swarm·ing, swarms
v.intr.
1.
a. To move or emerge in a swarm.
b. To leave a hive as a swarm. Used of bees.
2. To move or gather in large numbers: Shoppers have swarmed into the mall.
3. To be overrun; teem: a riverbank swarming with insects. See Synonyms at teem1.
v.tr.
To fill with a crowd: sailors swarming the ship's deck.
[Middle English, group of bees, from Old English swearm.]
swarmer n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
swarm 2 (swôrm)
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v. swarmed, swarm·ing, swarms
v.intr.
To climb by gripping with the arms and legs.
v.tr.
To climb (something) in this manner.
[Origin unknown.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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