adj
swarthy
SWAWR-thee
adj
1
Having noticeably dark skin or a deep tan complexion.
"Years working outdoors had left him swarthy and weathered."
"The sailors were swarthy from months at sea under the sun."
How to Use Swarthy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsed to describe someone with dark or deeply tanned skin.
Common mistake
It's mostly used about complexion, not race in the technical sense — and can sound old-fashioned or loaded in modern writing, so use it carefully.
Common pairings
swarthy complexion
swarthy skin
a swarthy face
Word Forms
swarthier comparative, swarthies plural, swarthiest superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “swarthy”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Years working outdoors had left him _____ and weathered.
Etymology
From an older English word "swarty," itself from "swart" meaning black, going back to Old English sweart ("black").