Meaning

(anatomy) The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to their posterior and near the anus or cloaca..

Definitions by Sense

1. (anatomy) The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to their posterior and near the anus or cloaca.
2. An object or part of an object resembling a tail in shape, such as the thongs on a cat-o'-nine-tails; a strand of material hanging from something.
3. The back, last, lower, or inferior part of anything.
4. The feathers attached to the pygostyle of a bird.
5. The tail-end of any object.
6. The rear structure of an aircraft, the empennage.
7. (astronomy) The visible stream of dust and gases blown from a comet by the solar wind.
8. The latter part of a time period or event, or (collectively) persons or objects represented in this part.

Example Sentences

Most primates have a tail and fangs.

Duretus writes a great praise of the Distill'd waters of those tails that hang on Willow Trees.

Using a thin tapestry needle, weave the warp tails back into the fabric in a warpwise direction and trim off the excess.

And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the taile, […]

It was soon over, and the unmoved magistrate calmly ordained that Deborah Williams, Elizabeth and Faith Wilson, should be tied to a cart's tail, and thus led through the principal streets of the town, receiving during their progress twenty lashes each, well laid on, upon the naked back.

long tail

A sequence (a#95;n) is said to be frequently 0 if every tail of the sequence contains 0.

By Goddis sydes, syns I her thyder broughte, / She hath gote me more money with her tayle / Than hath some shyppe that into Bordews sayle.

Word Forms

• tails
• tailing
• tailed

Synonyms for tail

Related Words

When Should You Use Tail?

Use tail when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

Practice This Word

Frequently Asked Questions