bath [OE] Bath is a Germanic word, which seems always to have carried some idea of heat. The city of Bath in the west of England derives its name from its hot springs, where people immersed themselves for health reasons. The city gave its name to the bath chair [E19th] in which its invalids were transported. The British order of knighthood, the Order of the Bath [E17th], has this name because recipients took a ceremonial bath before being installed—it was a special event. If sports players take an early bath [E20th], they have been sent off by the referee. This was originally an American term, but is now mainly British.