Swarm Definition

swôrm

swarmed, swarming, swarms

noun

swarms

A large number of bees, led by a queen, leaving one hive for another to start a new colony.

Webster's New World

Any large number of social insects moving in a group.

A swarm of ants.

Webster's New World

A colony of bees in a hive.

Webster's New World

A moving mass, crowd, or throng.

A swarm of onlookers.

Webster's New World

A number of similar geologic phenomena or features occurring closely within a given period or place.

A swarm of earthquakes.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

verb

swarmed, swarming, swarms

To gather and fly off in a swarm.

Webster's New World

To leave a hive as a swarm. Used of bees.

American Heritage

To act as a swarm in surrounding, attacking, dealing with, etc.

To swarm the quarterback, researchers swarming a problem.

Webster's New World

To move, collect, be present, etc. in large numbers; throng; abound.

Webster's New World

To fill with a swarm; crowd; throng.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Other Word Forms of Swarm

Singular:

swarm

Plural:

From Middle English swarm, from Old English swearm (“swarm, multitude"), from Proto-Germanic *swarmaz (“swarm, dizziness"), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“to buzz, hum"). Cognate with Scots swarm (“swarm"), Dutch zwerm (“swarm"), German Schwarm (“swarm"), Danish sværm (“swarm"), Swedish svärm (“swarm"), Icelandic svarmur (“tumult, swarm"), Latin susurrus (“whispering, humming"), Lithuanian surma (“a pipe"), Russian свирель (svirel', “a pipe, reed").

From Wiktionary
From Middle English swarmen, swermen, from Old English swierman (“to swarm"), from Proto-Germanic *swarmijanÄ… (“to swarm"). Cognate with Scots swairm, swerm (“to swarm"), Dutch zwermen (“to swarm"), German schwärmen (“to swarm"), Danish sværme (“to swarm"), Swedish svärma (“to swarm").

From Wiktionary
Middle English group of bees from Old English swearm

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Origin unknown

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition