often attributive
1
: the rear end or a process or prolongation of the rear end of the body of an animal
2
: something resembling an animal's tail in shape or position: such as
a
: a luminous stream of particles, gases, or ions extending from a comet especially in the antisolar direction
b
: the rear part of an airplane consisting usually of horizontal and vertical stabilizing surfaces with attached control surfaces
3
: the reverse of a coin
—usually used in plural
tails, I win
4
5
: a location immediately or not far behind
had a posse on his tail
6
: one (such as a detective) who follows or keeps watch on someone
7
b
slang, vulgar
: sexual intercourse
8
: retinue
9
: the back, last, lower, or inferior part of something
10
: tailing sense 1
—usually used in plural
11
: the blank space at the bottom of a page
tailed; tailing; tails
1
: to follow for purposes of surveillance
2
: to connect end to end
3
a
: to remove the tail of (an animal) : dock entry 3
b
: to remove the stem or bottom part of
topping and tailing gooseberries
4
a
: to make or furnish with a tail
b
: to follow or be drawn behind like a tail
1
: to form or move in a straggling line
2
: to grow progressively smaller, fainter, or more scattered : abate
—usually used with off
productivity is tailing off—
Tom Nicholson
Tom Nicholson3
: to swing or lie with the stern in a named direction
—used of a ship at anchor
4
tailer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of tail in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the tail that accompanies the prince wherever he goes
get your tail in here
the tail of the ship
Verb
The police had been tailing the suspect for several miles.
She is constantly tailed by the press.
The pitch tailed away from the batter.
Recent Examples on the Web
Paulina Dedaj, Fox News, 31 Oct. 2024
Baz supplied a first-pitch fastball that tailed in toward Diaz’s hands.
—Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 13 Aug. 2024
Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 21 Nov. 2024
Their hair and tails have long been used in traditional medicine, the agency added, and in recent years giraffes have also been targeted by hunters for bushmeat.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tail 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
As the ball tailed into the stands, Betts made a leaping catch along the wall.
—Paulina Dedaj, Fox News, 31 Oct. 2024
Baz supplied a first-pitch fastball that tailed in toward Diaz’s hands.
—Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 13 Aug. 2024
Noun
That was fine with Bronson, a construction company owner, who wanted tails.
—Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 21 Nov. 2024
Their hair and tails have long been used in traditional medicine, the agency added, and in recent years giraffes have also been targeted by hunters for bushmeat.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tail
Dictionary Entries Near tail
Cite this Entry
“Tail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tail. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tail
1 of 3 noun1
: the rear end or a lengthened growth from the rear end of the body of an animal
2
: something resembling an animal's tail
the tail of a kite
the tail of a comet
3
plural
: full evening dress for men
4
: the back, last, lower, or rear part of something
the tail of an airplane
5
: the reverse of a coin
6
: one (as a detective) who follows or keeps watch on someone
7
: a location not far behind
a posse on the outlaw's tail
tail
2 of 3 adjective
: being at or coming from the rear
tail
3 of 3 verb1
: to make or furnish with a tail
2
a
: to follow or be drawn behind like a tail
b
: to follow closely to observe : shadow
tailer
noun
Medical Definition
tail
nounoften attributive
1
: the rear end or a process or prolongation of the rear end of the body of an animal
2
: one end of a molecule regarded as opposite to the head
especially
: the end of a lipid molecule that consists of a nonpolar hydrocarbon chain and is opposite to the polar group
most surface-active agents have a long hydrophobic tail attached to a polar head —R. E. Kirk & D. F. Othmer
R. E. Kirk & D. F. Othmer 3
: any of various parts of bodily structures that are terminal: as
a
: the distal tendon of a muscle
b
: the slender left end of the human pancreas
c
: the common convoluted tube that forms the lower part of the epididymis
4
: the motile part of a sperm that extends from the middle piece to the end and comprises the flagellum
5
: a thin protein tube which forms part of the coat of some bacteriophages and through which DNA is injected into a cell
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