Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for foxtail. Search instead for Box+tail.

foxtail

American  
[foks-teyl] / ˈfɒksˌteɪl /

noun

  1. the tail of a fox.

  2. any of various grasses having soft, brushlike spikes of flowers.


foxtail British  
/ ˈfɒksˌteɪl /

noun

  1. 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

  2. any of various similar and related grasses, esp any of the genus Setaria

"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

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.

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

Another tried to hide a plush blanket that was covered in foxtail seeds, ruined by an impromptu picnic.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 30, 2021

His compositions might consist of a single branch with a cluster of moss green dwarf chestnuts, or loose stems of pale water lilies or a spray of feathery foxtail barley.

From New York Times • Nov. 18, 2020

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

He also learned to use the stems of foxtail grass to spear grasshoppers, longheaded locusts, and dragonflies, which he roasted over a fire in late summer and autumn.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden