bather

From bathe + -er.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbeɪðə(ɹ)/

• Audio (Southern England):

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• Audio (US):

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• Rhymes: -eɪðə(ɹ)

bather (plural bathers)

1. One who bathes (cleans oneself with water, for example in a bathtub).
   • 2000, James Green, The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook: A Home Manual, Celestial Arts, →ISBN, page 267:

     When using sitz tubs that have been placed in a bathtub, the bather can use the tub's sides to assist their movement. Otherwise, to make it easier for the bather to get up and down, it helps to elevate the sitz tub on blocks.

2. One who immerses oneself in water for pleasure or refreshment: one who swims (for example at a lake or beach).
   • (Can we date this quote?), The EMPACT Beaches Project results from a study on microbiological monitoring in recreational waters, DIANE Publishing, →ISBN, page 44:

     Both bathers on the beach and bathers in the water at the time of sample collection were categorized as fewer than 20, 20-100, 101-200, and more than 200.

   • 2025 February, Rick Lane, “Review: Planet Coaster 2”, in PC Gamer (US)‎^[1], number 392, page 67; published online 1 November 2024:

     It's also generally wise to recruit lifeguards to ensure visitor safety, as bathers can panic in the water and require assistance.

3. One who gives a bath to another.
   • (Can we date this quote?), Steven J. Ashe, Starting A Business With Little To No Capital:

     Even though becoming a dog groomer requires training, many grooming salons will hire somebody with no experience to be a dog bather and will then train that person to become a dog groomer.

4. A sunbather
5. A bathing costume

• Bertha, bareth, bertha, breath

• bauther, boather, badder

• IPA^(key): [ˈbɑːðər]

bather (third-person singular simple present bathers, present participle batherin, simple past and past participle bathert)

1. (Northern Scots) bother, annoy

   nae bather! ― no problem, don't worry