Schwalbe

Proper noun

Schwalbe

1. (aviation, military) The World War II Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter.

Etymology

From Middle High German swalwe, from Old High German swalwa, from Proto-Germanic *swalwǭ. Cognatew with Middle Dutch swaluwe (modern Dutch zwaluw), Old Saxon swala, Old English swealwe (modern English swallow), Old Norse svala (Danish svale, Swedish svala).

The football sense from a saying „Der fliegt wie ’ne Schwalbe!“ (“The man flies like a swallow!”), or the like, punning on fliegen in the sense of “to fall”. Compare hinfliegen (“to fall down”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃvalbə/, [ˈʃʋälbə]

• audio

  (file)

Noun

Schwalbe f (genitive Schwalbe, plural Schwalben)

1. swallow (bird)
2. (sports, soccer) dive (deliberate fall)
3. (aviation, military) a WWII Messerschmitt Me-262 jet-fighter

Further reading

• Schwalbe in Duden online