springtail

American

[spring-tayl] / ˈsprɪŋˌteɪl /

noun

any of numerous minute, wingless primitive insects of the order Collembola, most possessing a special abdominal appendage for jumping that allows for the nearly perpetual springing pattern characteristic of the group.

springtail British

/ ˈsprɪŋˌteɪl /

noun

any primitive wingless insect of the order Collembola, having a forked springing organ with which it projects itself forward

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of springtail

First recorded in 1790–1800; spring + tail ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

springtail

Laboratory tests showed that enzymes from very distantly related animals, including a sponge, an earthworm and a springtail, could also degrade microbial PHAs.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

His photo “Life Under Dead Wood” featured fruiting slime mould alongside a tiny, energetic springtail.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2024

Among the wonders of the natural world that few people have ever noticed: a semiaquatic springtail in motion.

From New York Times ● Nov. 7, 2022

And it’s true that I’ve had some failures: The app once labeled a springtail a deer tick for me.

From Slate ● Jul. 9, 2022

Their new finds bury the previous record-holder for deepest-dwelling springtail, Ongulonychiurus colpus, a Spanish cave creature found 550 meters down.

From Science Magazine ● Feb. 22, 2012

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023