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crested swift

crested swift

9.5
A small fast bird from Southeast Asia with an upright crest that nests in trees
  • noun
  • Philippine
translation icon : vencejo con cresta
  • The crested swift is known for its distinctive head feathers and agile flight.

Examples

  • Unlike most swifts, the crested swift builds its nest high in tree branches.

  • Researchers studied the nesting behavior of the crested swift in the dense forests of Borneo.

  • I spotted a crested swift in the tree.

  • The crested swift is known for its unique crest.

  • Researchers studied the nesting behavior of the crested swift in the dense forests of Borneo.

  • The crested swift is known for its distinctive upright crest and agile flight in Southeast Asia.

  • Unlike most swifts, the crested swift builds its nest high in tree branches, adapting to its environment.

Synonyms

tree swift
vscrested swift
  • Philippine
7.7

A bird from Southeast Asia with an upright crest that makes nests in trees

is an alternative name for that same bird used interchangeably

Surface Forms

crested swift singular

Morphology

crested + swift

The sense is directly compositional: 'crested' means having a head tuft and 'swift' is a type of bird, so a learner who knows both words can infer this denotes a swift with a crest. This adjective+noun formation follows a common cross-linguistic pattern in English and is therefore immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.

Etymology

Crested swift comes from the bird's upright head feathers, the crest, and its quick flight, the swift. Because it often builds nests high in 'trees', the name helps you picture a fast bird with a little crown sitting on branches.