coattail

[ koht-teyl ]

/ ˈkoʊtˌteɪl /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: coattail / coattails on Thesaurus.com

noun

the back of the skirt on a man's coat or jacket.

one of the two back parts of the skirt of a coat, especially one of the tails on a tail coat.

adjective

gained by association with another, especially with a successful or celebrated person: coattail benefits.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!

In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”

Question 1 of 7

The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.

affect

effect

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for coattail

on someone's coattails, aided by association with another person: The senator rode into office on the president's coattails.

on the coattails of, immediately after or as a result of: His decline in popularity followed on the coattails of the scandal.

Origin of coattail

First recorded in 1590–1600; coat + tail¹

Example sentences from the Web for coattail

He wore white gloves, a dignified long black coat, and matching pants and vest, and he carried a dark walking stick.
The Black Man Who Replaced Jefferson Davis in the Senate|Philip Dray|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Place the thinly sliced shallots in a medium bowl and pour buttermilk over to coat.
Make Carla Hall’s Crispy Shallot Green Bean Casserole|Carla Hall|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The young man had the presence of mind to tail Gaylard Williams out of the park and jot down his license plate.
Exposed: The Gay-Bashing Pastor’s Same-Sex Assault|M.L. Nestel|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The man finally manages to break free with the help of the others, slipping out of his coat.
Protesters Slimed This Good Samaritan Cop|Michael Daly|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Micah is 10 years old and he had a coat geared to the season, a Patagonia winter jacket with a hood.
The Wildly Peaceful, Human, Almost Boring, Ultimately Great New York City Protests for Eric Garner|Mike Barnicle|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He is rather tall and narrow, and wears a long abb's coat reaching nearly down to his feet.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
You don't mind staying here in the sunshine, I hope, while my coat dries?
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
Presently he began to shiver so, with some sort of a chill, that I took off my coat and wrapped it round him.
The Boarded-Up House|Augusta Huiell Seaman
He scratched his head in vexation, sat down, and as he did so, saw that his coat hung also upon the chair.
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux
The dog stood with hanging head and tail, as if ashamed he had let so many of his enemies get away unharmed.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn

British Dictionary definitions for coattail

coat-tail

noun

the long tapering tails at the back of a man's tailed coat

on someone's coat-tails thanks to the popularity or success of someone else

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

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

coattail