SWALLOWTAIL


Meaning of SWALLOWTAIL in English

ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun

Etymology: swallow (I) + tail; partly translation of French queue d'aronde; partly translation of German schwalbenschwanz

1. : a forked and tapering tail (as of a swallow)

2. : something resembling the tail of a swallow: as

a. : broadhead 2

b. : dovetail

c. : an outwork with converging sides, whose front forms a reentrant angle

d. : a pennant tapering to a double point

e. also swallowtail coat : tailcoat

3. also swallowtail butterfly : any of various large butterflies of Papilio and related genera that have the border of the hind wing produced into a taillike process and are brightly colored with black and yellow commonly predominating — see black swallowtail , tiger swallowtail , zebra swallowtail

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swallowtail 3

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Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.