SWAT
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *-i
Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti
Proto-Germanic *andi
Old English and
Middle English and
English and
English S.W.A.T.
English SWAT
From S.W.A.T., from special + weapons + and + tactics.
Pronunciation
Noun
SWAT (countable and uncountable, plural SWATs)
- (chiefly US, law enforcement) Acronym of special weapons and tactics, the area of expertise of police officers trained and equipped to neutralize armed or entrenched criminals.
- 2025 September 8, Eli Hager, “The Untold Saga of What Happened When DOGE Stormed Social Security”, in ProPublica[1], archived from the original on 28 September 2026:
- After Trump won the 2024 election and rumors of a cost-cutting-and-efficiency SWAT team began to swirl, Dudek asked people he knew at big tech companies for introductions to potential DOGE members.
- (chiefly US, law enforcement) A SWAT team.
- "This situation is out of control. We need a SWAT," the policeman said.
Usage notes
- Often used attributively before such nouns as team or squad.
- While the specific meaning of the acronym applies only to the United States, the term is informally used in other countries to describe similar police teams.
Derived terms
- swat (verb)
See also
Anagrams
Categories:
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂ent-
- English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *teh₂g- (order)
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