dovetail
Americannoun
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a tenon broader at its end than at its base; pin.
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a joint formed of one or more such tenons fitting tightly within corresponding mortises.
verb (used with or without object)
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Carpentry. to join or fit together by means of a dovetail or dovetails.
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to join or fit together compactly or harmoniously.
noun
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a wedge-shaped tenon
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Also called: dovetail joint. a joint containing such tenons
verb
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(tr) to join by means of dovetails
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to fit or cause to fit together closely or neatly
he dovetailed his arguments to the desired conclusion
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dovetail
First recorded in 1555–65; so named from its shape
Explanation
A dovetail is a joint in woodworking where two sides are fitted together with interlocking pieces. You can also use the word dovetail to show how other things fit well together — like how your picnic plans nicely dovetail with the sunny forecast. A well-made dovetail is a beautiful thing, with wooden projections that slide into notches perfectly, the two sides forming a corner. When things fit this way, you can say they dovetail — they fit easily and work well together. Your plan to dress up as a Jedi knight dovetails well with your brother's Darth Vader costume, for example. Dovetails got their name from the tail feather-like shape of the joint's pieces.
Vocabulary lists containing dovetail
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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.
The two themes also dovetail neatly with the AI diffusion into the defense industries.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026
And when these apparitions vanish, the text’s overriding theme—of life’s evanescence but also its beauty—does finally dovetail with the ghostly images created by the technology.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026
But the movie’s verité style of thumbnail portraiture doesn’t always dovetail neatly with the other elements: the unloading of facts, getting those drone shots in and projecting a thriller-like atmosphere.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2025
These thoughts dovetail sharply with Gibson grappling with their hair loss and other side effects from chemotherapy.
From Salon • Feb. 3, 2025
Reality and the new science happened, in certain areas of physics, to dovetail quite neatly together.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
