swallowtail

noun

swal·​low·​tail ˈswä-lō-ˌtāl 

-lə-

1

: a deeply forked and tapering tail (as of a swallow)

2

: tailcoat

3

: any of various usually large brightly marked butterflies (family Papilionidae, especially genus Papilio) with each hind wing typically having an elongated process

swallow-tailed

ˈswä-lō-ˌtāld 

-lə-

adjective

Illustration of swallowtail

• swallowtail 3

Examples of swallowtail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some swallowtail butterflies lay eggs on citrus trees. —Jessica Peralta, Oc Register, 4 June 2025

At the time, conservationists fretted that the enormous hurricane was going to wipe out the last of the island’s Schaus’ swallowtails (Papilio aristodemus), a species of endangered black-and-yellow butterfly native to southern Florida and now found only on Elliott Key and nearby Key Largo. —Marina Wang, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Apr. 2025

For example, about 18,000 species of butterfly exist – think monarch, zebra swallowtail or cabbage white. —Nicholas Green, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2025

While that swallowtail languished in my board bag, the wide, early-rise nose of the Transition Finder provided unbelievable buoyancy on hip-deep tree runs, mini-truck-sized pillow poppers, and sidecountry sojourns. —Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1703, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing swallowtail

• black swallowtail
• tiger swallowtail

Rhymes for swallowtail

• abigail
• cottontail
• countervail
• fingernail
• martingale
• mesoscale
• microscale
• monorail
• nanoscale
• ponytail
• wensleydale
• yellowtail

Kids Definition

swallowtail

noun

swal·​low·​tail ˈswäl-ō-ˌtāl 

1

: a deeply forked and tapering tail (as of a swallow)

2

: any of various usually large butterflies in which the hind wing is elongated into a process that resembles a tail

swallow-tailed

ˌswäl-ō-ˈtāld

adjective