any of several large, stately aquatic birds of the subfamily Anserinae, having a long, slender neck and usually pure-white plumage in the adult.
a person or thing of unusual beauty, excellence, purity, or the like.
Literary. a person who sings sweetly or a poet.
Astronomy. Swan, the constellation Cygnus.
any large aquatic bird of the genera Cygnus and Coscoroba, having a long neck and usually a white plumage: family Anatidae, order Anseriformes
rare
a poet
( capital when part of a title or epithet )
the Swan of Avon (Shakespeare)
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with German Schwan, Old Norse svanr
1775–85, probably continuing dial. (N England) I s'wan, shortening of I shall warrant
In "The Ugly Duckling," a young bird is mistaken for a duck until it grows up to be a beautiful swan. A swan is a large bird with a long, elegant neck. You're most likely to see swans in the water, but they also spend some time on land. Baby swans are called cygnets, and as adults, they're either cobs (if male), or pens (if female). If you're lucky enough to see a whole group of swans swimming or flying together, you can call it a bevy of swans. Swan comes from a root meaning "to sing."
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
City Hall steps, all seven and a half feet of him, tall as a Lakers center but clumsy as a swan on dry land.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026
Now contrast those ancient memories with the Wu-Tang Clan’s national conquest in 2025, when their alleged swan song tour, “Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber,” became one of summer’s hottest legacy tickets.
From Salon • May 31, 2026
After realizing that the status quo can be as perilous as a swan dive into the unknown, she bet on herself and made the leap.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
The upsides to leasing are obvious: You get to swan around town in the latest, greatest car model.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 4, 2026
Ducks heckled the swan, but a swan only notices what it wishes to.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
