rat's-tail
|rat's-tail|
/ˈræts.teɪl/
long, thin, tail-like part
Etymology
'rat's-tail' originates from English as a compound of 'rat' + 'tail', literally referring to the tail of a rat.
'rat' comes from Old English 'ræt' and 'tail' from Old English 'tægl'/'tæl' (or Middle English 'tail'), and the compound 'rat's tail' has been used since early Modern English to describe literal and metaphorical tail‑like parts.
Initially it meant simply 'the tail of a rat'; over time it has been used metaphorically for any long, thin, tapering part or object resembling a rat's tail, including plant pods and tools.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a long, thin, tapering part or projection that resembles the tail of a rat; a tail‑like appendage or filament.
The machine had a small rat's-tail of wire protruding from the back.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the common name for certain plants or their long slender pods/roots, especially the rat-tail radish (Raphanus caudatus) with long tapering seed pods.
In spring the garden produced several rat's-tail radishes ready to harvest.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/14 21:03