pigtail

American  

[pig-teyl] / ˈpɪgˌteɪl /

noun

1. a braid of hair hanging down the back of the head.

2. pigtails, two bunches of hair gathered and fastened on either side of the head, in braids or hanging freely.

3. tobacco in a thin, twisted roll.

4. Electricity.

   1. a short, flexible wire used in connecting a stationary terminal with a terminal having a limited range of motion.

   2. a short wire connected to an electric device, as a lead or ground.

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pigtail British  

/ ˈpɪɡˌteɪl /

noun

1. a bunch of hair or one of two bunches on either side of the face, worn loose or plaited

2. a twisted roll of tobacco

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Other Word Forms

• pigtailed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of pigtail

First recorded in 1680–90; pig ¹ + tail ¹

Explanation

A pigtail is a section of hair tied at the back or sides of a person's head so that it sticks out a little or hangs down. Although pigs only have one, pigtails often come in pairs. Some people think pigtails and braids are two different hairstyles (and often, a single pony tail to be a third), but others just call them all pigtails. The word, an American invention, originally described a twisted piece of chewing tobacco that was thought to resemble a pig's curly tail. The hairstyle was first called pigtails in the mid-1700s.

Example Sentences

The Pigtail is the dried-up Rococo, trimmed according to academic rules.

From The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 08 Masterpieces of German Literature Translated into English. in Twenty Volumes by Various

Rousseau, who was also a zealous advocate of 234the English gardens, and disgusted by the French Pigtail style, was more impressed by Robinson Crusoe than by any other book.

From The Development of the Feeling for Nature in the Middle Ages and Modern Times by Biese, Alfred

On that account one need not give up the general character of the period, and yet one can see how the Rococo still presses forward in the Pigtail age.

From The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 08 Masterpieces of German Literature Translated into English. in Twenty Volumes by Various

Münchhausen, the notorious liar, is a genuine Rococo caricature in the Pigtail age.

From The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 08 Masterpieces of German Literature Translated into English. in Twenty Volumes by Various

We’re pretty safe so long as we eat what Pigtail does.”

From Blue Jackets The Log of the Teaser by Handforth, W.B.

Related Words

• ponytail