Sheath

Pronunciation

• enPR: shÄ“th, IPA: /ʃiːθ/
• Rhymes: -iːθ

Alternative forms

• sheathe obsolete

Origin

From Middle English s(c)heth(e), from Old English scēaþ, from Proto-Germanic *skaiþiz, possibly from a root skaiþ- ("split, divide"), related to *skaiþaną ("separate"). Cognate with Dutch schede, Low German scheed, German Scheide, Danish skede, Norwegian skjede, Icelandic skeið.

Full definition of sheath

Noun

1. A scabbard; a holster for a sword.
2. Anything that has a similar shape to a scabbard for a sword that is for the purpose of holding an object that is longer than it is wide; a case.
3. The insulating outer cover of an electrical cable.
4. A tight-fitting dress.
5. (British) A condom.
6. The foreskin of certain animals, e.g. dogs and horses.
7. The base of a leaf when sheathing or investing a stem or branch, as in grasses.
8. One of the elytra of an insect.

Synonyms

• (scabbard) scabbard
• (long case)
• case
• casing
• cover
• covering
• envelope
• (tight-fitting dress)

Related terms

• sheathe
• heliosheath
• resheath, resheathe
• unsheath, unsheathe

Verb

1. To put an object (especially a weapon, in particular, a sword) into its sheath.

Antonyms

• unsheath

Derived terms

• resheath
• resheathe

Anagrams

• heaths