Meaning & use
wet wipe
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
a small, disposable cloth that is already wet with a cleaning or disinfecting liquid, used for wiping skin or surfaces
Grammar: Countable: one wet wipe, two wet wipes. Often used in the plural.
Patterns
- a pack of wet wipes
- use a wet wipe
- baby wet wipes
She cleaned the baby's face with a wet wipe.
Don't forget to pack wet wipes for the picnic.
He used a wet wipe to clean the sticky table.
Word forms
| plural | wet wipes |
|---|
Common combinations
- pack of wet wipes
- I bought a pack of wet wipes at the supermarket.
- baby wet wipes
- Baby wet wipes are gentle on the skin.
- antibacterial wet wipes
- Antibacterial wet wipes can kill germs on surfaces.
- use a wet wipe
- Use a wet wipe to remove the makeup.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wipe
- A 'wipe' is a general word for a disposable cloth, which may be wet or dry; 'wet wipe' specifies that it is already moist.
- towelette
- A 'towelette' is a small, usually moistened towel, often provided at restaurants; 'wet wipe' is more common for baby care and cleaning.
Commonly confused: wet wipe or dry wipe?
wet wipe vs dry wipe
A 'dry wipe' is a cloth without liquid, used for dusting or drying; a 'wet wipe' is already moist.
Practice
The mother used a ___ to clean the baby's hands.
Choose one answer.
A 'wet wipe' is a moist disposable cloth for cleaning. 'Dry wipe' is not moist, and 'wet weekend' is an idiom meaning a dull person or event.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “wet wipe”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.