black swan

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noun

an Australian swan, Cygnus atratus, having mostly black plumage and a red bill.

an occurrence or phenomenon that comes as a surprise because it was not predicted or was hard to predict (often used attributively): a disastrous black-swan event that only appeared obvious in hindsight.

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Origin of black swan

(def. 2) from the belief that all swans were white, before the first sighting of Australian black swans

Words nearby black swan

blackstrap molasses, Black Studies, Black Stump, black sucker, black swallowwort, black swan, blacktail, black-tailed deer, black tar heroin, black taxi, black tea

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use black swan in a sentence

The world that Black Dynamite lives in is not the most PC place to be in.
‘Black Dynamite’ Presents Police Brutality: The Musical|Stereo Williams|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Music is a huge part of the tone of Black Dynamite overall—going back to the original 2009 movie on which the series is based.
‘Black Dynamite’ Presents Police Brutality: The Musical|Stereo Williams|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
How far has Congress really evolved on race when in 50 years it has gone from one black senator to two?
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress|Dean Obeidallah|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Even the arguably more democratic House is only at 10 percent black members.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress|Dean Obeidallah|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST

But in the case of black women, another study found no lack of interest.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress|Dean Obeidallah|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Suddenly, however, he became aware of a small black spot far ahead in the very middle of the unencumbered track.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
The lady in black was reading her morning devotions on the porch of a neighboring bathhouse.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
The lady in black, creeping behind them, looked a trifle paler and more jaded than usual.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
A little black girl sat on the floor, and with her hands worked the treadle of the machine.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
Under the long lashes of low lids a pair of eyes black and insolent set off the haughty lines of her scarlet lips.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for black swan

black swan

noun

a large Australian swan, Cygnus atratus, that has a black plumage and red bill

a phenomenon that occurs even though it had been thought to be impossible

Word Origin for black swan

sense 2 from the fact all swans were thought to be white until black swans were discovered in Australia

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012