swiftlet
noun
swift·let
ˈswif(t)-lət 
: any of various cave-dwelling swifts (genera Aerodramus, Collocalia, and Hydrochous) of Asia including one (A. fuciphagus) that produces the nest used in bird's nest soup
Examples of swiftlet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And for those who don't know, bird spit can refer to the saliva of swiftlets, which is often used to make bird's nest soup, a popular dish in some Asian cultures.
—
Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Trade in the swiftlet’s edible nests is long-established in Asia.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Sep. 2024
Long ago that business abandoned the site to the elements, leaving just rudimentary structures and a four-story-tall concrete birdhouse made to lure swiftlets whose nests, built with saliva, fetch high prices in China.
—Ryan Weeks, Bloomberg.com, 13 June 2024
Specifically, the swiftlet, which builds its nests inside.
—Muktita Suhartono Nyimas Laula, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
Tan’s nest once belonged to a swiftlet, a small bird native to caves in Southeast Asia.
—1843, 22 Nov. 2019
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Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Trade in the swiftlet’s edible nests is long-established in Asia.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Sep. 2024
Long ago that business abandoned the site to the elements, leaving just rudimentary structures and a four-story-tall concrete birdhouse made to lure swiftlets whose nests, built with saliva, fetch high prices in China.
—Ryan Weeks, Bloomberg.com, 13 June 2024
Specifically, the swiftlet, which builds its nests inside.
—Muktita Suhartono Nyimas Laula, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024
Tan’s nest once belonged to a swiftlet, a small bird native to caves in Southeast Asia.
—1843, 22 Nov. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Swiftlet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swiftlet. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
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