bath

UK: /ˈbɑːθ/ US: /bæθ/ ,(bath, bäth)

Inflections of 'bath' (n): npl: baths

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bath¹ /bæθ/   n. [countable] , pl. baths /bæðz, bɑðz, bæθs, bɑθs/ .

1. a washingof something, esp. the body, for cleansing or medical treatment:
   a warm bath to relax your aching muscles.
2. a container for water or other cleansing liquid, as a bathtub.
3. bathroom.
4. Often, baths. [plural] a swimming pool.
5. Usually, baths. [plural] a resort visited for medical treatment by bathing;
   spa.
6. Chemistry a preparation, as an acid solution, into which something is dipped.

Idioms

7. Idioms, Informal Terms take a bath, Informal. to suffer a large financial loss:
   When interest rates suddenly went up, we took a bath on most of our deals.

Related Words

bath is a noun, bathe is a verb:
The baby needed a bath. He bathed the baby in warm water.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bath¹  (bath, bäth), n., pl. baths (baᵺz, bäᵺz, baths, bäths),  v. 

n. 

1. a washing or immersion of something, esp. the body, in water, steam, etc., as for cleansing or medical treatment:
   I take a bath every day. Give the dog a bath.
2. a quantity of water or other liquid used for this purpose:
   running a bath.
3. a container for water or other cleansing liquid, as a bathtub.
4. a room equipped for bathing;
   bathroom:
   The house has two baths.
5. a building containing rooms or apartments with equipment for bathing;
   bathhouse.
6. Often, baths. one of the elaborate bathing establishments of the ancients:
   the baths of Caracalla.
7. Usually, baths. a town or resort visited for medical treatment by bathing or the like;
   spa.
8. Chemistry a preparation, as an acid solution, in which something is immersed.
9. Chemistry the container for such a preparation.
10. Chemistry a device for controlling the temperature of something by the use of a surrounding medium, as sand, water, oil, etc.
11. Metallurgy
    • the depressed hearth of a steelmaking furnace.
    • the molten metal being made into steel in a steelmaking furnace.
12. the state of being covered by a liquid, as perspiration:
    in a bath of sweat.
13. take a bath, [Informal.] to suffer a large financial loss:
    Many investors are taking a bath on their bond investments.

v.t., v.i. 

14. to wash or soak in a bath.

• Gmc *bátha-n what is warmed, akin to Old High German bājan (German bähen), Swedish basa to warm; pre-Gmc *bheH- to warm, past participle *bhH-to-
• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English bæth; cognate with Old Frisian beth, Old Saxon, Old Norse bath, German Bad;

bath′less, adj. 

bath²  (bath), n. 

1. Weights and Measures, Judaism a Hebrew unit of liquid measure, equal to a quantity varying between 10 and 11 U.S. gallons (38 and 42 liters).

• Hebrew

Bath  (bath, bäth), n. 

1. Place Names a city in Avon, in SW England: mineral springs. 84,300.
2. Place Names a seaport in SW Maine. 10,246.

Ba‘th  (bä′äth), n. 

1. Baath.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bath / bɑːθ/ noun ( baths / bɑːðz/)

1. a large container, esp one made of enamelled iron or plastic, used for washing or medically treating the body
2. the act or an instance of washing in such a container
3. the amount of liquid contained in a bath
4. (usually plural) a place that provides baths or a swimming pool for public use
5. a vessel in which something is immersed to maintain it at a constant temperature, to process it photographically, electrolytically, etc, or to lubricate it
6. the liquid used in such a vessel

verb

1. to wash in a bath

Etymology: Old English bæth; compare Old High German bad, Old Norse bath; related to Swedish basa to clean with warm water, Old High German bāen to warm

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

Ba•ath  (bä′äth), n. 

1. Government a socialist party of some Arab countries, esp. Iraq and Syria. Also, Ba‘ath, Ba‘th. 

• Arabic ba‘ath literally, renaissance

Ba′ath•ism, n. 
Ba′ath•ist, n., adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Bath / bɑːθ/ noun

1. a city in SW England, in Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority, Somerset, on the River Avon: famous for its hot springs; a fashionable spa in the 18th century; Roman remains, notably the baths; university (1966). Pop: 90 144 (2001)
   Latin name: Aquae Sulis / ˈækwiː ˈsuːlɪs/