What does the Phrase ‘Swan Song’ Mean?

Swan song means a final performance or effort; the last piece of work that someone does in their career.

This phrase has sprung from the myth that swans are mute, but they burst into a song just before they die.

Let’s see an example —

“The author wrote his swan song three years ago before he went insane.”

It means that the author’s work produced three years ago was his last written piece due to insanity.

I hope you found this story interesting. If you did, buy my full course on Udemy, or watch it for free on Skillshare by signing up here. This course covers nearly 380 idioms with their origins and backstories.

Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.