swiftlet

American

[swift-lit] / ˈswɪft lɪt /

noun

any of several swifts of the genus Collocalia, of southeastern Asia, the East Indies, and Australia, certain species of which use saliva to construct nests, which are used in making bird's-nest soup.

swiftlet British

/ ˈswɪftlɪt /

noun

any of various small swifts of the Asian genus Collocalia that often live in caves and use echolocation: the nests, which are made of hardened saliva, are used in oriental cookery to make birds' nest soup

"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 swiftlet

First recorded in 1890–95; swift + -let

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:

swiftlet

Mr. Suhardi, not expecting the swiftlet situation to improve anytime soon, has shifted to planting avocado and durian.

From New York Times ● Apr. 2, 2024

“Safety, by keeping pests and predators away. The swiftlet house must be really clean. They don’t even like spiders.”

From New York Times ● Apr. 2, 2024

Government officials say Indonesia is the world’s largest exporter of swiftlet nests.

From New York Times ● Apr. 2, 2024

Specifically, the swiftlet, which builds its nests inside.

From New York Times ● Apr. 2, 2024

Since the dates mentioned it has been ascertained by personal observation that the breeding season of the swiftlet extends over four months, during which probably four young are reared, each clutch being single.

From My Tropic Isle by Banfield, E. J. (Edmund James)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023