swan

1 of 3

noun

plural swans
1
plural also swan : any of various large heavy-bodied long-necked mostly pure white aquatic birds (family Anatidae, especially genus Cygnus) that have webbed feet and are related to but larger than the geese
2
: one that resembles or is likened to a swan
3
capitalized : the constellation Cygnus

Illustration of swan

Illustration of swan
  • swan 1

swan

2 of 3

verb (1)

swanned; swanning

intransitive verb

: to wander aimlessly or idly : dally

swan

3 of 3

verb (2)

swanned; swanning

Examples of swan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
And in the middle of the gala — a gala that, mind you, Kiki made a big show of kicking off for all the guests only minutes before — Kiki is sent packing, and Peter swans around the party with Simone on his arm. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025 Over the years, Cooke has been in the middle of several black swan events. Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Verb
This season reaches its pinnacle of camp with a visit from Oscar Wilde himself (Jordan Sebastian Waller), who swans through a crowd of Manhattan elite dropping droll asides after the premiere of his first play, Vera; or, The Nihilists. EW.com, 27 Oct. 2023 The music video, in which Tay swans around a Malibu mansion in a pastel two-piece, was more controversial. Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2023 See All Example Sentences for swan

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Middle High German swan and perhaps to Latin sonus sound — more at sound entry 1

Verb (2)

perhaps euphemism for swear

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

1942, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1784, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of swan was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swan. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

swan

noun
ˈswän
plural swans also swan
: any of various large heavy-bodied long-necked usually pure white water birds with webbed feet that are related to but larger than the geese

Geographical Definition

Swan

geographical name

variants or in its upper course Avon
river about 240 miles (386 kilometers) long in southwestern Western Australia flowing west into the Indian Ocean

More from Merriam-Webster on swan

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