swan

Meaning

Noun

1. Any of various species of large, long-necked waterfowl, of genus Cygnus (bird family: Anatidae), most of which have white plumage.
2. (figuratively) One whose grace etc. suggests a swan.
3. This bird used as a heraldic charge, sometimes with a crown around its neck (e. g. the arms of Buckinghamshire).

Verb

To travel or move about in an aimless, idle, or pretentiously casual way.

Verb

To declare (chiefly in first-person present constructions).

Synonyms

rove

wander

tramp

gander

drift

vagabond

swear

ramble

roam

goose

🪿

cob

assert

aver

avow

affirm

pen

🖊️

range

stray

verify

cygnet

cast

duck

🦆

roll

travel

laze

move around

mute swan

standing erect

poet

prowl

circuit

hawk moth

browse

sphinx

stall

straggle

hamsa

🪬

bard

tergiversate

tour

attest

assure

humming bird moth

vow

walk

🚶

allege

Cygnus

equivocate

gallivant

gad

Translations

cygne

🦢

cigno

Schwan

🦢

cisne

🦢

zwaan

🦢

κύκνος

cisne

🦢

kuğu

🦢

cigne

🦢

cicne

cycnus

cygnus

olor

🦢

qû

Pronounced as (IPA)

/swɒn/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: swan

Inherited from Old English: swan

Cognate with Western Frisian: swan

Cognate with Low German: Swaan

Cognate with Dutch: zwaan

Cognate with German: Schwan

Cognate with Danish: svane

Cognate with Norwegian: svane

Cognate with Swedish: svan

Cognate with Old English: ġeswin

Cognate with Old English: swinsian

Cognate with Russian: звон

Cognate with Latin: sonus

Cognate with Sanskrit: स्वन्

In summary

From Middle English swan, from Old English swan, from Proto-West Germanic *swan, from Proto-Germanic *swanaz (“swan”, literally “the singing bird”), from Proto-Indo-European *swonh₂-/*swenh₂- (“to sing, make sound”).
Cognate with West Frisian swan, Low German Swaan, swan, Dutch zwaan, German Schwan, Danish svane, Norwegian svane, Swedish svan. Related also to Old English ġeswin (“melody, song”), Old English swinsian (“to make melody”).
Further cognates include (possibly) Russian звон (zvon, “ring, chime”); Latin sonus (“sound”), Sanskrit स्वन् (svan, “sound”).
Doublet of sound.

Sentences

She danced like a swan , tall and graceful .