noun
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any grass of the genus Alopecurus , esp A. pratensis , of Europe, Asia, and South America, having soft cylindrical spikes of flowers: cultivated as a pasture grass
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any of various similar and related grasses, esp any of the genus Setaria
Etymology
Origin of foxtail
late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at fox, 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.
The analysis showed average air temperatures below 66 or above 77 degrees Fahrenheit made fomesafen, glyphosate, and mesotrione -- representing three herbicide sites of action -- less effective on waterhemp, giant foxtail, and morning-glory species.
From Science Daily • Nov. 19, 2024
The fox tricks the barnyard animals in the foxtail version.
From New York Times • Dec. 15, 2021
Another tried to hide a plush blanket that was covered in foxtail seeds, ruined by an impromptu picnic.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 30, 2021
The previous winter’s meager rainfall contributed to the seedling mortality, as did crowding by a medley of non-natives: mustard, red brome, wild oat and foxtail.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2019
They chewed tender new stems of foxtail, almost as placidly as the animals below.
From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer
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.
