swallow-tailed

Thân thiện

A swallow-tailed kite soars gracefully over the open field.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having a deeply forked tail resembling the tail of a swallow (the bird). This term is used especially in zoology to describe the tail shape of certain butterflies, birds, and other animals.

Usage

The adjective "swallow-tailed" is used attributively (before a noun) to describe an animal whose tail has a specific, forked shape. It is a descriptive term common in natural history.

Examples

• The swallow-tailed kite is a graceful bird of prey, easily identified by its long, forked tail.
• We observed a beautiful swallow-tailed butterfly in the garden.
• The species is distinguished by its swallow-tailed appearance.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically or in design to describe any object with a similar forked shape, though this is less common.
  • The vintage coat featured swallow-tailed coattails.

Variants and Related Words

• Swallowtail (noun): A butterfly of a family (Papilionidae) many of which have tail-like projections on the hindwings. Also used as a shorthand for "swallow-tailed butterfly."
  • The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is a common sight in summer.

Synonyms

• Fork-tailed
• Deeply forked

Antonyms

• Square-tailed
• Rounded-tail
• Fan-tailed

Học thuật

Adjective

1. (especially of butterflies and birds) having a forked tail like that of a swallow