This noun denotes a swallow or swift (a bird of the family Cypselidae), recognized by its characteristic twittering call. Isaiah 38:14 uses it in a simile where Hezekiah compares his pained cries to the chattering of a swallow. Jeremiah 8:7 mentions it (in the Ketiv text) among migratory birds that know their appointed times, contrasting animal instinct with Israel's failure to know God's requirements. The Septuagint translates it as 'swallow' and the Vulgate as 'hirundo' (swallow) or 'young of the swallow.' The bird's distinctive twittering and seasonal movements made it a recognizable image in biblical poetry.