black swan
Cygnus atratus, a swan with black plumage and a red bill which is endemic to AustraliaCygnus atratus, a swan with black plumage and a red bill which is endemic to Australia.
Meaning
3 sensesCygnus atratus, a swan with black plumage and a red bill which is endemic to Australia.
Trauerschwan
чёрный ле́бедьčórnyj lébedʹ
чорний лебідьčornyj lebidʹ, лебідь чорнийlebidʹ čornyj
large Australian swan having black plumage and a red bill
(figuratively)Something believed impossible or not to exist, especially if an example is subsequently found; also, something extremely rare; a rara avis.
(also, attributive, figuratively, specifically)A rare and hard-to-predict event with major consequences.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English blak swan, calqued from a Latin quotation from Satire VI (written lateFrom Middle English blak swan, calqued from a Latin quotation from Satire VI (written late 1st century – early 2nd century B.C.E.) of the Roman poet Juvenal: “Rara avis in terris, nigroque simillima cygno [a bird as rare upon the earth as a black swan]!”. Equivalent to black + swan.
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Forms
plural: black swans| Singular | black swan |
|---|---|
| Plural | black swans |
regular
Synonyms
10 synonyms- large Australian swan having black plumage and a red bill:Cygnus atratus