What does swallowtail mean?
A swallowtail is a butterfly, particularly a member of the family Papilionidae, known in many species for the long, pointed projections extending from its hind wings. These projections resemble the forked tail of a swallow and give the butterfly its common name. Swallowtails include many vividly patterned species, and the group is especially familiar in temperate regions through species such as the Old World swallowtail and the zebra swallowtail. The word can refer broadly to the family or more narrowly to an individual swallowtail butterfly. It is also sometimes used in the compound “swallowtail butterfly,” which distinguishes the insect more explicitly from other objects with similarly shaped features. Because the word denotes a butterfly, it is grammatically a count noun and normally takes a plural in the form “swallowtails.” Its unusual name makes it especially memorable: it describes not the bird itself, but the elegant, tail-like shape carried by a butterfly.
nounA butterfly, especially one of the family Papilionidae, whose hind wings have long, tail-like projections. The name refers to the resemblance of these extensions to the forked tail of a swallow.
- A butterfly belonging to the family Papilionidae, many species of which have elongated, swallow-like projections on the hind wings.
"A bright swallowtail landed on the lavender beside the garden path."
"The swallowtail is known for its striking markings and distinctive tail-like hind wings."
"Naturalists identified the specimen as a rare swallowtail."
"A swallowtail caterpillar feeds on the leaves of its host plant before becoming a chrysalis."
Used when referring to multiple butterflies of this kind.
"Several swallowtails visited the flowering shrubs."
Some butterflies carry miniature forked tails on their hind wings, earning them the name swallowtails.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does swallowtail come from?
Swallowtail is an English compound formed from “swallow” and “tail,” both of which have Old English origins. The compound refers to the pointed extensions on the butterfly’s hind wings, whose shape resembles the tail of a swallow. “Tailed” and “tailless” are later developments of the same “tail” element found in the compound.
How swallowtail is actually used
The term is normally used for the butterfly or its caterpillar. It most characteristically refers to swallow-tailed butterflies, although some species in the family have reduced or absent tail-like projections.
Easily confused with swallowtail
A swallow is a bird, whereas a swallowtail is a butterfly named for its swallow-like tail-shaped hind wings.