swallowtail
Definition
Noun: 1. A type of formal coat: A man's formal evening jacket, characterized by having two long, tapering panels (tails) at the back, which are reminiscent of the forked tail of a swallow bird. This garment is a key component of "white tie" attire. 2. A type of butterfly: Any of numerous butterflies, typically large and brightly colored, belonging to the family Papilionidae, noted for having often elongated hindwing projections that resemble tails.
Examples
- Noun (Garment):
- He looked elegant in his black swallowtail and white bow tie.
- The dress code for the state dinner requires a swallowtail and waistcoat.
- Noun (Butterfly):
- A beautiful yellow swallowtail was fluttering among the flowers.
- The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is a common species in North American gardens.
Advanced Usage
- "swallowtail coat": A more descriptive, full term for the formal jacket, often used interchangeably with "tailcoat" or "tails."
- For the wedding, the groom and his groomsmen all wore traditional swallowtail coats.
Variants and Related Words
- Tailcoat (n): A direct synonym for the formal jacket meaning of "swallowtail."
- Swallow-tailed (adj): Having a shape that resembles the forked tail of a swallow or the tails of the formal coat. Can describe birds, butterflies, or flags.
- The kite had a distinctive swallow-tailed design.
Synonyms
- For the garment: Tailcoat, tails, dress coat, full-dress coat.
- For the butterfly: Papilionid (technical term from the family name ).
Related Idioms
- "In tails": An idiom meaning dressed in a swallowtail coat as part of full evening dress.
- The orchestra members were dressed in tails for the performance.
Noun
-
a man's full-dress jacket with two long tapering tails at the back
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