cattail

American  

[kat-teyl] / ˈkætˌteɪl /

noun

1. any tall, reedlike marsh plant of the genus Typha, especially T. latifolia, having long, sword-shaped leaves and dense, cylindrical clusters of minute brown flowers.

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Etymology

Origin of cattail

First recorded in 1425–75, cattail is from the late Middle English word cattestail. See cat, tail ¹

Example Sentences

It was close to sunset when I took my shoes off and waded deep past the bank of reeds and cattails.

From Salon

He showed us how to search out berries, wild garlic, chicory, and cattails.

From Literature

On her back sits a basket woven from cedar boughs and bark, sword fern fronds, cattail and grapevines, which is adorned with dried squash and pine cones.

From Seattle Times

There were “a lot of dirt, branches, parts of buildings, fences, cattails from swamps — everything,” she said.

From New York Times

The resulting structure, which uses filtered river water, resembles a series of towering metal cattails.

From New York Times