swan

[ swon ]

/ swɒn /

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noun

any of several large, stately aquatic birds of the subfamily Anserinae, having a long, slender neck and usually pure-white plumage in the adult.Compare mute swan, trumpeter swan, whistling swan, whooper swan.

a person or thing of unusual beauty, excellence, purity, or the like.

Literary. a person who sings sweetly or a poet.

Swan, Astronomy. the constellation Cygnus.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of swan

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with German Schwan, Old Norse svanr

OTHER WORDS FROM swan

swanlike, adjective

Words nearby swan

Swampscott, swamp sparrow, swamp white oak, swampy, swamy, swan, swan dive, Swanee, swang, swanherd, swank

Other definitions for swan (2 of 3)

swan²

[ swon ]

/ swɒn /

verb (used without object)

Midland and Southern U.S. Older Use. to swear or declare (used with I): Well, I swan, I never expected to see you here!

Origin of swan

1775–85, Americanism; probably continuing dial. (N England) I s'wan, shortening of I shall warrant

Other definitions for swan (3 of 3)

Swan

[ swon ]

/ swɒn /

noun

Sir Joseph Wilson, 1828–1914, British chemist, electrical engineer, and inventor.

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

How to use swan in a sentence

An anonymous identifier called SWAN lets people control what ads they see online.
Media Briefing: How publishers are earning money with NFTs|Tim Peterson|April 1, 2021|Digiday
Gaetz apparently shared messages and documents supporting his claims with Axios's Jonathan Swan, though Swan didn't offer details on what that material indicated.
The Matt Gaetz allegation, explained|Philip Bump|March 31, 2021|Washington Post
According to Swan, one kilo of lettuce can be produced at Sustenir Agriculture with one-twelfth of the carbon emissions it takes to import lettuce from Australia.
The indoor urban farm startup that’s undercutting importers by 30%|Clarisa Diaz|March 31, 2021|Quartz
We were dating at the height of popularity of sites like Hot or Not and TV shows like The Swan.
Such a pretty face|Aubrey Gordon|February 26, 2021|Vox

The company wouldn’t make the mistake again, as it sought to pack even more transistors per chip at a scale of 7-nanometers next, Swan promised.
Intel gets the leader it needs|Aaron Pressman|January 13, 2021|Fortune
The film Black Swan, with costumes by Rodarte, had an enormous impact on fashion.
How High Fashion Saved the Ballet|Raquel Laneri|October 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Natalie Portman The Black Swan Oscar winner rapped on SNL with The Lonely Island.
When Celebrities Rap: Watch Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, Gwyneth Paltrow and More Spit Rhymes|Marina Watts|April 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Fountain was one long fight, The Wrestler was divorce, and then we reconciled on Black Swan.
‘Noah’ is a Global Warming Epic About the Battle Between Religion and Science, Says Cinematographer|Marlow Stern|March 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Seeley Lake lies in the valley between two mountain ranges: the Swan to the east, the Mission to the west.
Pete Dexter’s Indelible Portrait of Author Norman Maclean|Pete Dexter|March 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
From the corner of the porch you can see the Swan Mountains; turning your head, you see the Missions.
Pete Dexter’s Indelible Portrait of Author Norman Maclean|Pete Dexter|March 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The universal desire was for mamma to see him, and when the time came, she owned that papa's swan had not turned out a goose.
The Daisy Chain|Charlotte Yonge
Between the cape and Point Swan, there is a sandy bay, fronted by a bed of rocks.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
The Black Swan, is singing to fine fashionable houses, and bids fair to stand unrivalled in the world of Song.
The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States|Martin R. Delany
When the boat's all finished and all sails set, she'll sail away just like a swan; you see if she doesn't.
Seven O'Clock Stories|Robert Gordon Anderson
Now, little girl, you stand here and say: 'I christen thee White Swan.'
Seven O'Clock Stories|Robert Gordon Anderson

British Dictionary definitions for swan (1 of 3)

swan

/ (swɒn) /

noun

any large aquatic bird of the genera Cygnus and Coscoroba, having a long neck and usually a white plumage: family Anatidae, order Anseriformes

rare, literary

a poet
(capital when part of a title or epithet)the Swan of Avon (Shakespeare)

verb swans, swanning or swanned

(intr; usually foll by around or about) informal to wander idly

Derived forms of swan

swanlike, adjective

Word Origin for swan

Old English; related to Old Norse svanr, Middle Low German swōn

British Dictionary definitions for swan (2 of 3)

Swan¹

/ (swɒn) /

noun

a river in SW Western Australia, rising as the Avon northeast of Narrogin and flowing northwest and west to the Indian Ocean below Perth. Length: about 240 km (150 miles)

British Dictionary definitions for swan (3 of 3)

Swan²

/ (swɒn) /

noun

Sir Joseph Wilson. 1828–1914, English physicist and chemist, who developed the incandescent electric light (1880) independently of Edison

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