Natation
/neɪˈteɪʃən/noun
The act or skill of swimming.
Did you know?Roman bath complexes sometimes included large swimming pools called natationes, making natation part of the vocabulary of public bathing and leisure.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sneh₂-
“To swim or bathe; a reconstructed Indo-European root associated with movement through water.”
Classical Latin
Latin
natāre
“To swim; to float or move through water.”
Classical Latin
Latin
natātiō
“Swimming, bathing, or the act of swimming.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
natatio
“Swimming or a place used for swimming.”
15th Century
French
natation
“Swimming; the practice of swimming.”
Modern English
English
natation
“The act or skill of swimming, especially in formal or technical usage.”