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; 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.
People were hanging foxtails out of their back belt loops.
From Los Angeles Times
Kaley Cuoco has issued a warning to “all my dog lovers out there” after her pup recently underwent a “super intense surgery” to remove a piece of foxtail from his body.
From Los Angeles Times
“Prickly foxtails, poisonous weeds, tall grass, even the leaves of trees. They’ll stand on their hind legs to reach them.”
From Washington Post
The fox tricks the barnyard animals in the foxtail version.
From New York Times
Another tried to hide a plush blanket that was covered in foxtail seeds, ruined by an impromptu picnic.
From Seattle Times
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.
