noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

tail

TAYL

Tail (noun) means the flexible appendage extending from the rear of an animal's body. Example: “The dog wagged its tail excitedly when its owner came home.”

noun

The flexible appendage extending from the rear of an animal's body.

"The dog wagged its tail excitedly when its owner came home."

"A peacock's tail feathers fan out in a striking display."

The rear or last part of something, such as an aircraft's tail section or the end of a line or sequence.

"The plane's tail was damaged by the storm."

"We caught the tail end of the meeting."

The side of a coin opposite the head, or (informally) someone secretly following another person.

"She called tails, and the coin landed showing the eagle."

"The detective put a tail on the suspect."

verb

To follow someone closely and secretly, typically to observe them.

"Police officers tailed the van for several blocks before making an arrest."

How to use tail

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe part at the back end of an animal, object, or event — or, as a verb, to secretly follow someone.

Common mistake

As a verb meaning "follow secretly," tail is informal/journalistic — don't use it in formal writing where "follow" or "trail" fits better.

Common pairings

wag its tail tail of the plane heads or tails tail someone

Word forms

tailed past tense, tails plural, tails singular

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The dog wagged its _____ excitedly when its owner came home.

Etymology

From Old English tægl ("tail"), going back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "hair" or "hair of the tail."

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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rear end back hindquarters extremity rump

Related words

time back down home game end point start

Rhymes for tail

rail pail mail nail sail fail hail jail vail bail wail quail

See all rhymes for tail →

Frequently asked questions

What does “tail” mean?

The word “tail” means the flexible appendage extending from the rear of an animal's body. In plain terms, the part at the back end of an animal, object, or event — or, as a verb, to secretly follow someone.

How do you pronounce “tail”?

“Tail” is pronounced TAYL (/ˈteɪ̯l/ in IPA).

How do you use “tail” in a sentence?

Here is “tail” used in a sentence: “The dog wagged its tail excitedly when its owner came home.”

What part of speech is “tail”?

Depending on how it is used, “tail” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “tail” come from?

The word “tail” comes from Old English. From Old English tægl ("tail"), going back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "hair" or "hair of the tail.".

Is “tail” a common word?

“Tail” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “tail” have?

“Tail” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the flexible appendage extending from the rear of an animal's body.

What is the difference between tail and tale?

Tail and tale sound the same but mean different things. A tail is the appendage at the rear of an animal or the rear part of something, while a tale is a story.

What are some common uses of tail beyond animals?

Besides an animal's rear appendage, tail names the rear section of many things, such as an aircraft's tail, the tail of a comet, or the end of a line or queue. It generally refers to the hindmost part.

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