LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininethird declension

hirundō

hirundō f (genitive hirundinis)
Classical[hɪˈrʊn.doː]Ecclesiastical[iˈrun.do]

Meaning

  1. swallow (bird)
    Fallimur, an vēris praenūntia venit hirundōAm I mistaken, or has the swallow come, the herald of spring, and does she not fear winter will turn and come again?8 CE, Ovidius, Fasti 2.853–854
  2. flying fish (sea-swallow)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativehirundōhirundinēs
genitivehirundinishirundinum
dativehirundinīhirundinibus
accusativehirundinemhirundinēs
ablativehirundinehirundinibus
vocativehirundōhirundinēs

hĭrundo, ĭnis, f. (weakened from χελιδών),
I. a swallow.
I. Lit., Plin. 10, 33, 49, § 92; 10, 24, 34, § 70; Plaut. Rud. 3, 1, 12; Verg. G. 1, 377; id. A. 12, 474; Ov. F. 2, 853; Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 13.—As a term of endearment: dic me anaticulam, columbam vel catellum, Hirundinem, monedulam, etc., Plaut. As. 3, 3, 104.—Prov.: quid contendat hirundo cycnis? Lucr. 3, 6 (for which: certent cycnis ululae, Verg. E. 8, 55).—
II. Transf., a flying sea - fish, sea - swallow, Exocoetus volitans s. evolans, Linn.; Plin. 9, 26, 43, § 81.

Origins

Possibly related to hirrio due to its sound, or related to harundo because of its forked tail. Compare Ancient Greek χελῑδών (khelīdṓn).

Southern Gallo-Romance
  • Catalanoreneta
  • Catalanoroneta
  • Catalanoronella
  • Occitanirondafrom Old Occitan irunda
  • Occitanrandoletafrom Old Occitan irunda
  • Frenchhirondellefrom Old Occitan irunda
Insular Romance
  • Sardinianarrùndine
  • Sardinianarrùndini
Balkano-Romance
  • Romanianrândunea
  • Romanianrândunică
  • Aromanianalãndurã
  • Aromanianlãndurã
  • Aromanianrãndurã
Italo-Dalmatian
  • Italianirondine
  • Italianrondine
  • Corsicanrondina
  • Dalmatianrondaina
  • Istriotròndula
  • Sicilianrìndina
  • Sicilianrìnnina
  • Venetanróndena
Ibero-Romance
  • Portugueseandorinhafrom Old Galician-Portuguese andorỹa
  • Spanishgolondrinafrom Old Spanish golondrina
  • Aragonesevolandrina
  • Falaanduriñafrom Old Galician-Portuguese andorỹa
  • Galiciananduriñafrom Old Galician-Portuguese andorỹa
  • Nheengatuandurinhufrom Old Galician-Portuguese andorỹa
  • Asturianandarinafrom Old Leonese *andorina
  • Leoneseandolinafrom Old Leonese *andorina
  • Mirandeseandorinafrom Old Leonese *andorina
  • Ladinogolondrinafrom Old Spanish golondrina
Northern Gallo-Romance
  • Frencharondefrom Old French aronde
  • Normanaroundefrom Old French aronde
  • Normanhéthondefrom Old French aronde
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Romanshrandulina
  • Romanshhirondella
  • Romanshirundeala
Gallo-Italic
  • Ligurianrondana
  • Ligurianróndoa
  • Ligurianrondanìnn-a
  • Lombardrondena
  • Lombardróndola
  • Lombardrondanena
  • Lombardrondanina
  • Piedmonteseràndola
  • Piedmonteseròndola
  • Piedmonteseróndola
Borrowings
  • Esperantohirundo
  • Idohirundo

Quick answers

What does hirundō mean in Latin?
hirundō, a noun, means “swallow (bird); flying fish (sea-swallow)”.
What is the genitive of hirundō?
The genitive singular is hirundinis. hirundō is feminine, third declension.
How do you pronounce hirundō?
In classical Latin, [hɪˈrʊn.doː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [iˈrun.do].