barn swallow

American  

noun

1. a common swallow, Hirundo rustica, of North America and Eurasia, that nests in barns and similar buildings.

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barn swallow British  

noun

1. the US and Canadian name for the common swallow, Hirundo rustica See swallow 2

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Etymology

Origin of barn swallow

An Americanism dating back to 1780–90

Example Sentences

That is one conclusion of our 2020 study on one of the most abundant, widespread, well-studied bird species in the world: the barn swallow.

From Scientific American • May 4, 2022

The new arrivals included the mallard duck and barn swallow, whose normal range was previously well to the south.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 4, 2019

Nearby is a bottlelike nest made from dried mud reinforced with feathers — the nursery of the barn swallow.

From Washington Post • May 28, 2019

Here Pamuk flits like a barn swallow over fascinating issues of contemporary Turkish life, but never alights long enough to offer interesting insights or even substantially enrich the story.

From New York Times • Oct. 16, 2017

Then, to Genie’s amazement, a barn swallow landed not two feet away from him.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds