tree swallow
- noun
- /tri ˈswɑloʊ/
- US
:
golondrina de los árboles
- The tree swallow built its nest in the cavity of an old tree, making it a cozy home for its young.
Examples
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Numbers of Tree Swallows are increasing, and there are quite a few shovelers and Blue-winged Teal.
Blog text (13) -
They clearly weren't barn or tree swallows or any of the small brown swallows.
Blog text (4) -
While walking through the park, we spotted a tree swallow gracefully swooping through the air, catching insects.
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At sunset, I observed a group of tree swallows flying in formation above the meadow, their iridescent feathers glinting in the light.
Synonyms
15
2.1
A small bird with long pointed wings and a forked tail that eats insects
A small bird with a blue-green back and white belly that nests in tree holes
A small swallow with a blue-green back and white belly that nests in tree holes
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound 'tree swallow' is directly compositional: 'tree' modifies 'swallow' to indicate a type of swallow associated with trees (e.g., nesting in tree cavities). This is a regular noun–noun compounding pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Tree swallow is named for the bird and where it nests — this small swallow often makes its nest in holes in trees, so the name means 'a swallow that lives in trees'.