swan song
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The song fabled to be sung by swans at the point of death (see above}; hence, the last work of a poet, composer, etc.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “swan song” mean?
The song fabled to be sung by swans at the point of death (see above}; hence, the last work of a poet, composer, etc.
Is “swan song” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.