swallowtail

American  

[swol-oh-teyl] / ˈswɒl oʊˌteɪl /

noun

1. the tail of a swallow or a deeply forked tail like that of a swallow.

2. any of several butterflies of the genus Papilio, characterized by elongated hindwings that resemble the tail of a swallow, such as P. polyxenes black swallowtail.

3. tailcoat.

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swallowtail British  

/ ˈswɒləʊˌteɪl /

noun

1. any of various butterflies of the genus Papilio and related genera, esp P. machaon of Europe, having a tail-like extension of each hind wing: family Papilionidae

2. the forked tail of a swallow or similar bird

3. short for swallow-tailed coat

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Etymology

Origin of swallowtail

First recorded in 1535–45; swallow ² + tail ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

swallowtail

Aipa was the grandson of iconic shaper Ben Aipa, known for pioneering surfboard styles such as the sting and refining the design of the swallowtail in the 1970s.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026

A rare wetland plant is making a return to East Yorkshire to support the nationally scarce swallowtail butterfly.

From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2026

In particular, the Papilio xuthus, a yellow, Asian swallowtail butterfly, has not only blue, green and red, but also violet, ultraviolet and broadband receptors.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2023

He wore the swallowtail suit he married in 40 years earlier.

From New York Times ● Feb. 15, 2023

From each dome rose a needlelike spire, all of them snapping with swallowtail flags and interconnected by ribbons across which children ran laughing, clad in cloaks of colored feathers.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor