bath¹ (băth, bäth)
n., pl., baths (băTHz, bäTHz, băths, bäths).

1. 1. The act of soaking or cleansing the body, as in water or steam.
   2. The water used for cleansing the body.
2. 1. A bathtub.
   2. A bathroom.
3. A building equipped for bathing.
4. A resort providing therapeutic baths; a spa. Often used in the plural.
5. 1. A liquid in which something is dipped or soaked for processing: immersed the metal in an acid bath.
   2. A container holding such a liquid: emptied the bath of dye.
6. 1. A medium, such as oil or sand, that controls the temperature of objects placed in it.
   2. A container holding such a medium.

[Middle English, from Old English bæth.]

bath² (băth)
n.
An ancient Hebrew unit of liquid measure, equal to about 38 liters (10 U.S. gallons).

[Hebrew bat.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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