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sea swallow

American  

noun

  1. any of several terns, especially Sterna hirundo.

  2. British Dialect. any of several small petrels, especially the storm petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus.


sea swallow British  

noun

  1. a popular name for tern 1

"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

Etymology

Origin of sea swallow

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Or would it rather evacuate and abandon them, letting the sea swallow the remains of their homes?

From Washington Post Sep. 2, 2022

"Like the wings of a snow white sea swallow Writing mating signs on the blue sky of Heaven Flashed his quick hands of entreaty, In the little love sign talk he taught her."

From The Fire Bird by Stratton-Porter, Gene

She knew where the white sea swallow nested.

From Her Father's Daughter by Stratton-Porter, Gene

Linda was watching a sea swallow now, and slowly her lean fingers were gathering handfuls of sand and sifting them into a little pyramid she was heaping beside her.

From Her Father's Daughter by Stratton-Porter, Gene

The wing of a white sea swallow never swept a lovelier curve on the breast of the ocean than the line of this valley.

From Her Father's Daughter by Stratton-Porter, Gene

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