black swan

English

noun
Definitions
  • Cygnus atratus, an Australian swan whose feathers are black.
  • (figurative) Something believed impossible or not to exist, of which an example is subsequently found.
  • (figurative) A rare and hard-to-predict event with major consequences.

Etymology

Compound from English black (dark haired, black haired) + English swan.

Origin

English

swan

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms