SWAT

See also: swat, Swat, and S.W.A.T.

English

Alternative forms

• S.W.A.T.

Etymology

Etymology tree

Middle English especial

English special

Proto-Germanic *wēpną

Proto-West Germanic *wāpn

Old English wēpn

Middle English wepen

English weapons

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent-

Proto-Indo-European *-s

Proto-Indo-European *h₂énts

Proto-Indo-European *-i

Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti

Proto-Germanic *andi

Old English and

Middle English and

English and

Proto-Indo-European *teh₂g-der.

Proto-Hellenic *tat͏̌t͏̌ō

Ancient Greek τάσσω (tássō)

Proto-Indo-European *-tis

Proto-Hellenic *-tis

Ancient Greek -τῐς (-tĭs)

Ancient Greek -σῐς (-sĭs)

Proto-Indo-European *-kos

Proto-Hellenic *-kos

Ancient Greek -κός (-kós)

?

Proto-Indo-European *-tós

Proto-Hellenic *-tós

Ancient Greek -τος (-tos)

▲

Ancient Greek -κός (-kós)

?

Ancient Greek -τικός (-tikós)

Ancient Greek τακτικός (taktikós)bor.

New Latin tacticabor.

English tactics

English S.W.A.T.

English SWAT

From S.W.A.T., from special + weapons + and + tactics.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /swɒt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /swɑt/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒt
• Homophone: swat

Noun

SWAT (countable and uncountable, plural SWATs)

1. (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]:

     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.

2. (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

• special forces

Anagrams

• 'twas, ATWS, AWTs, TAWS, TWAs, WSTA, sawt, staw, taws, was't, wast, wats