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Definition of barn swallow

barn swallow

Plural:barn swallows
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• noun

1

A small, widely distributed migratory passerine bird (Hirundo rustica) characterized by a deeply forked tail, metallic blue upperparts, and reddish or buff underparts, known for building cup-shaped mud nests on the beams and eaves of human-made structures.

Example

"Flocks of barn swallows darted gracefully through the twilight sky, catching flying insects on the wing before returning to their mud nests under the eaves."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for barn swallow

• Nearby Words

barmy
barn
barn owl
barn swallow
barnacle
barnacled
barnafoss

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Barn swallow. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/barn-swallow
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