swap

English

Alternative forms

• swop

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈswɒp/

  • Audio (UK):

    (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈswɑp/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒp
• Hyphenation: swap

Etymology 1

From Middle English swappen (“to swap”), originally meaning "to hurl" or "to strike", the word alludes to striking hands together when making an exchange; probably from Old English *swappian, a secondary form of Old English swāpan (“to swoop”). Cognate with German schwappen (“to slosh, slop”). Compare also Middle English swippen (“to strike, hit”), from Old English swipian (“to scourge, strike, beat, lash”), Old Norse svipa (“to swoop, flash, whip, look after, look around”). More at swipe.

Verb

swap (third-person singular simple present swaps, present participle swapping, simple past and past participle swapped)

1. (transitive) To exchange or give (something) in an non-normal exchange (for something else).

   Synonyms: exchange, switch, trade

   • 1998, Michael Wolf with Bruce Friedman and Daniel Sutherland, Religion in the workplace, page 98:

     In an effort to provide more permanent accommodations, employers may offer employees the opportunity either to swap jobs with a colleague or to transfer to a new position.

   • 2007, Lloyd Zimpel, A Season of Fire and Ice:

     Chief watched these goings-on without pleasure, and waved them off in disgust when the smarmiest of the two suggested he might wish to swap that elk's tooth for this jug of fine rye whiskey.

   • 2011, Andrew Scott Cooper, The Oil Kings: How the U.S., Iran, and Saudi Arabia Changed the Balance of Power in the Middle East, page 253:

     The Shah wanted to swap oil for more arms.

2. (transitive, obsolete) To hit, to strike.
   • 1954, Edward Eager, Half Magic:

     And he whipped his sword out of its scabbard, and swapped off the pudding from the black knight's nose. Unfortunately (for him) he swapped off a good bit of the nose, too.

   • 1954, C. S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy:

     "Maybe Apes will grow honest, Sister," said Edmund. "But, by the Lion, if he breaks it again, it may be in such time and place that any of us could swap off his head in clean battle."

3. (transitive, obsolete) To beat the air, or ply the wings, with a sweeping motion or noise; to flap.
4. (intransitive, obsolete) To descend or fall; to rush hastily or violently.

Synonyms

• (exchange or give (something) in exchange for): interchange, switch; See also Thesaurus:switch
• (hit, strike): bang, knock, tap; See also Thesaurus:hit
• (beat the air): flap
• (rush hastily): fly, speed, zoom; See also Thesaurus:rush

Hyponyms

• (exchange or give (something) in exchange for): hot-swap, swap in, swap out

Derived terms

• face-swap
• outswap
• swap horses in midstream
• swap over
• swappable
• swapper
• swap places
• swap spit
• toswap
• unswapped

Translations

exchange or give (something) in exchange for — see also switch,‎ disorder,‎ disarrange,‎ mix up,‎ exchange,‎ substitute,‎ replace,‎ trade

• Afrikaans: ruil
• Arabic: مُبَادَلَة (mubādala)
• Armenian: please add this translation if you can
• Bulgarian: разменям (bg) (razmenjam)
• Burmese: please add this translation if you can
• Catalan: bescanviar (ca), baratar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 交換 / 交换 (zh) (jiāohuàn), 對調 / 对调 (zh) (duìdiào), 調換 / 调换 (zh) (diàohuàn)

• Cornish: keschanjya
• Czech: vyměnit (cs), prohodit
• Danish: please add this translation if you can
• Dutch: ruilen (nl), wisselen (nl)
• Esperanto: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: vaihtaa (fi), tehdä vaihtokauppa
• French: permuter (fr)
• Georgian: გაცვლა (gacvla)
• German: tauschen (de), austauschen (de), vertauschen (de), wechseln (de)
• Greek: ανταλλάσσω (el) (antallásso)
• Hungarian: cserél (hu), elcserél (hu), kicserél (hu), megcserél (hu)
• Italian: scambiare (it), barattare (it), permutare (it), commutare (it)
• Japanese: 取り替える (ja) (とりかえる, torikaeru), 交換する (ja) (こうかんする, kōkan suru)
• Khmer: ប្តូរ (ptou)
• Korean: 교환하다 (ko) (gyohwanhada)
• Lao: please add this translation if you can
• Latvian: mainīt
• Maltese: partat
• Māori: whakawhiti, whakawhitiwhiti, kurutete
• Mongolian: please add this translation if you can
• Norman: trotchi
• Occitan: escambiar (oc)
• Polish: zamieniać (pl), zamienić (pl)
• Portuguese: trocar (pt), intercambiar
• Russian: меня́ться (ru) impf (menjátʹsja), поменя́ться (ru) pf (pomenjátʹsja), обме́ниваться (ru) impf (obménivatʹsja), обменя́ться (ru) pf (obmenjátʹsja), махну́ться (ru) pf (maxnútʹsja) (slang)
• Spanish: canjear (es), cambalachear (es), permutar (es)
• Swahili: please add this translation if you can
• Swedish: byta (sv)
• Tagalog: magpalitan, magbaligyaan
• Thai: แลกเปลี่ยน (th) (lɛ̂ɛk-bplìian)
• Tibetan: please add this translation if you can
• Tonga (Zambia): cincana
• Turkish: takas etmek (tr), değiştirmek (tr)
• Vietnamese: giao hoán (vi)
• Welsh: ymgyfnewid

Etymology 2

From the verb swap. First attested in 1620.

Noun

swap (plural swaps)

Alice has a red apple and Bob has a green apple. After a swap, Alice has the green apple and Bob has the red apple.

1. An exchange of two comparable things.
   • 1819, Sir Walter Scott, Tales of My Landlord, The Bride of Lammermoor:

     I e’en changed it, as occasion served, with the skippers o’ Dutch luggers and French vessels, for gin and brandy […] a gude swap too, between what cheereth the soul of man and that which dingeth it clean out of his body

   • 2026 January 5, Callum Sutherland, “Who Is Cilia Flores? What to Know About Maduro’s Wife Amid Fall of Venezuela's First Couple”, in TIME‎^[1], archived from the original on 6 January 2026:

     Flores' nephews were each sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment in 2017 for conspiring to import cocaine, but they were released in 2022 by the Biden Administration as part of a prisoner swap with Venezuela.

2. (finance) A financial derivative in which two parties agree to exchange one stream of non-normal cashflow against another stream.
3. (computing, informal, uncountable) Space available in a swap file for use as auxiliary memory.

   How much swap do you need?

4. (Cambridge University slang) A social meal at a restaurant between two university societies, usually involving drinking and banter; commonly associated with fining and pennying; equivalent to a crewdate at Oxford University.

Synonyms

• (an exchange of things): barter, quid pro quo, trade

Hyponyms

• (financial derivative): credit default swap; total return swap

Derived terms

• blue chip swap
• bodyswap
• bookswap
• cookie swap
• cum swap
• cumswap
• face-swap
• face swap
• formal swap
• full swap
• genderswap
• hard swap
• hot swap
• interest rate swap
• K-swap
• language swap
• LS-swap
• mindswap
• mixed swap
• palette swap
• prisoner swap
• SIM swap
• soft swap
• swap body, swapbody
• swap box
• swap chain
• swap file
• swaplet
• swap line
• swapling
• swaplist
• swap meet
• swapmeet
• swaporama
• swap partition
• swappiness
• swapportunity
• swap shop
• swapsies
• swap space
• swaption
• tax swap
• Tesla-swap
• Yankee swap

Translations

exchange — see also exchange,‎ shift,‎ trade

• Afrikaans: ruil
• Armenian: փոխանակում (hy) (pʻoxanakum)
• Bulgarian: смяна (bg) f (smjana), размяна (bg) (razmjana)
• Catalan: bescanvi m, barata (ca) f, troc m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 交換 / 交换 (zh) (jiāohuàn), 對調 / 对调 (zh) (duìdiào), 調換 / 调换 (zh) (diàohuàn)

• Czech: výměna (cs) f
• Danish: please add this translation if you can
• Dutch: ruil (nl) m
• Finnish: vaihtokauppa (fi), vaihto (fi)
• French: échange (fr) m
• German: Tausch (de) m, Tauschgeschäft (de) n
• Greek: ανταλλαγή (el) f (antallagí)
• Hungarian: csere (hu)
• Italian: scambio (it) m, baratto (it) m, permuta (it) f
• Japanese: 取り替え (ja) (とりかえ, torikae), スワップ (ja) (suwappu), 交換 (ja) (こうかん, kōkan)
• Korean: 교환 (ko) (gyohwan)
• Latvian: maiņa f
• Maltese: bdil m
• Māori: kurutete, whiti
• Occitan: escambi (oc)
• Polish: zamiana (pl) f, swap (pl) m
• Portuguese: troca (pt) f
• Russian: обме́н (ru) m (obmén), ме́на (ru) f (ména)
• Spanish: cambalache (es) m, canje (es) m, permutación f, permuta (es) f, concambio (es) m
• Tagalog: palitan, baligyaan
• Turkish: takas (tr)
• Vietnamese: sự giao hoán (vi)

finance: derivative

• Bulgarian: суа́п m (suáp)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 掉期 (zh) (diàoqī)

• Czech: swap (cs) m
• Danish: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: vaihtosopimus, swap (fi)
• German: Swap m
• Italian: permuta (it) f, scambio (it) m
• Japanese: スワップ (ja) (suwappu)
• Polish: swap (pl) m
• Portuguese: swap (pt) m
• Russian: своп (ru) m (svop)
• Spanish: permuta (financiera) f, swap (es) m

Etymology 3

From Middle English swap, swappe (“a blow, strike, lash from a whip”), from the verb (see Etymology 1 above).

Noun

swap (countable and uncountable, plural swaps)

1. (obsolete, UK, dialect) A blow; a stroke.

References

• swap on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• WSPA, Spaw, spaw, WAPs, paws, wasp, WASP, APWs, PWAs, waps, AWPs, waps., PAWS, Wasp

Finnish

Etymology

From English swap.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsʋɑp/, [ˈs̠ʋɑ̝p]
• IPA^(key): /ˈsʋæp/, [ˈs̠ʋæp]
• Rhymes: -ɑp

Noun

swap (slang)

1. (finance) swap (financial derivative)

   Synonym: vaihtosopimus

2. (computing) swap (auxiliary memory)

   Synonym: heittovaihtomuisti

Declension

Inflection of swap (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		swap	swapit
genitive		swapin	swapien
partitive		swapia	swapeja
illative		swapiin	swapeihin
		singular	plural
nominative		swap	swapit
accusative	nom.	swap	swapit
	gen.	swapin
genitive		swapin	swapien
partitive		swapia	swapeja
inessive		swapissa	swapeissa
elative		swapista	swapeista
illative		swapiin	swapeihin
adessive		swapilla	swapeilla
ablative		swapilta	swapeilta
allative		swapille	swapeille
essive		swapina	swapeina
translative		swapiksi	swapeiksi
abessive		swapitta	swapeitta
instructive		—	swapein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of swap (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative swapini swapini accusative nom. swapini swapini gen. swapini genitive swapini swapieni partitive swapiani swapejani inessive swapissani swapeissani elative swapistani swapeistani illative swapiini swapeihini adessive swapillani swapeillani ablative swapiltani swapeiltani allative swapilleni swapeilleni essive swapinani swapeinani translative swapikseni swapeikseni abessive swapittani swapeittani instructive — — comitative — swapeineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative swapisi swapisi accusative nom. swapisi swapisi gen. swapisi genitive swapisi swapiesi partitive swapiasi swapejasi inessive swapissasi swapeissasi elative swapistasi swapeistasi illative swapiisi swapeihisi adessive swapillasi swapeillasi ablative swapiltasi swapeiltasi allative swapillesi swapeillesi essive swapinasi swapeinasi translative swapiksesi swapeiksesi abessive swapittasi swapeittasi instructive — — comitative — swapeinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative swapimme swapimme accusative nom. swapimme swapimme gen. swapimme genitive swapimme swapiemme partitive swapiamme swapejamme inessive swapissamme swapeissamme elative swapistamme swapeistamme illative swapiimme swapeihimme adessive swapillamme swapeillamme ablative swapiltamme swapeiltamme allative swapillemme swapeillemme essive swapinamme swapeinamme translative swapiksemme swapeiksemme abessive swapittamme swapeittamme instructive — — comitative — swapeinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative swapinne swapinne accusative nom. swapinne swapinne gen. swapinne genitive swapinne swapienne partitive swapianne swapejanne inessive swapissanne swapeissanne elative swapistanne swapeistanne illative swapiinne swapeihinne adessive swapillanne swapeillanne ablative swapiltanne swapeiltanne allative swapillenne swapeillenne essive swapinanne swapeinanne translative swapiksenne swapeiksenne abessive swapittanne swapeittanne instructive — — comitative — swapeinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative swapinsa swapinsa accusative nom. swapinsa swapinsa gen. swapinsa genitive swapinsa swapiensa partitive swapiaan swapiansa swapejaan swapejansa inessive swapissaan swapissansa swapeissaan swapeissansa elative swapistaan swapistansa swapeistaan swapeistansa illative swapiinsa swapeihinsa adessive swapillaan swapillansa swapeillaan swapeillansa ablative swapiltaan swapiltansa swapeiltaan swapeiltansa allative swapilleen swapillensa swapeilleen swapeillensa essive swapinaan swapinansa swapeinaan swapeinansa translative swapikseen swapiksensa swapeikseen swapeiksensa abessive swapittaan swapittansa swapeittaan swapeittansa instructive — — comitative — swapeineen swapeinensa

Derived terms

• verbs: swapata

Further reading

• “swap”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023

Indonesian

Etymology

Borrowed from English swap.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈswap/ [ˈswap̚]
• Rhymes: -ap
• Syllabification: swap

Noun

swap (plural swap-swap)

1. swap
   1. an exchange of two comparable things.

      Synonym: barter

   2. (finance) a financial derivative in which two parties agree to exchange one stream of non-normal cashflow against another stream.

Derived terms

• swap suku bunga
• swap ulang
• swap valuta

Further reading

• “swap”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016
• Bunbunan E. J. Hutampea; Soemarso S. R.; Jan Hoesada; Indriani Eko Yulianto; Meity Taqdir Qodratillah; T. B. Gultom (1993), Kamus Keuangan [Dictionary of Finance] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, →ISBN, page 52: “swap”

Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Middle English swappen

English swapubor.

Polish swap

Unadapted borrowing from English swap.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsfap/, /ˈsɔp/, /ˈswɔp/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ap, -ɔp
• Syllabification: swap

Noun

swap m inan (related adjective swapowy)

1. (finance) swap (financial agreement to exchange cashflows)

   dealer swapu ― swap dealer

   swap amortyzowany ― amortizing swap

   swap kredytowy/swap ryzyka kredytowego ― credit default swap

   swap procentowy/swap stopy procentowej ― interest rate swap

   swap walutowy ― currency swap

   • 2009 August 18, “USA: Lehman skarży AIG”, in Gazeta Ubezpieczeniowa‎^[3]:

     Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. skarży AIG o 9 mln dol. zaległych wypłat z tytułu ochrony swapów kredytowych, jaką bank wykupił u ubezpieczyciela.

     Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. is suing AIG for 9 million dollars in outstanding payments for credit default swap protection the bank has bought from the insurer.

Declension

Indeclinable, or:

Declension of swap

	singular	plural
nominative	swap	swapy
genitive	swapu	swapów
dative	swapowi	swapom
accusative	swap	swapy
instrumental	swapem	swapami
locative	swapie	swapach
vocative	swapie	swapy

Further reading

• “swap”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[4] (in Polish)

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Middle English swappen

English swapubor.

Spanish swap

Unadapted borrowing from English swap.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈswap/ [ˈswap]
  • Rhymes: -ap
• IPA^(key): /sˈw̝ap/ [zˈw̝ap]
  • Rhymes: -ap
• Syllabification: swap

Noun

swap m (plural swaps)

1. (finance) swap

Usage notes

According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.

Further reading

• Seco, Manuel; Andrés, Olimpia; Ramos, Gabino (2023), “swap”, in Diccionario del español actual [Dictionary of Current Spanish] (in Spanish), third digital edition, Fundación BBVA