long tail

British  

noun

1. commerce the segment of a market representing the large number of products that sell in small quantities, considered by some to be of greater financial value than the few products that sell in very large quantities

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Etymology

Origin of long tail

C21: from the appearance of typical sales patterns on a graph

Example Sentences

This investment follows the long tail of a decrease in defence spending during the last decade, dropping by 22% between 2009 and 2017 - only recently returning to 2010 levels.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

Discovery, the parent of HBO, is being acquired by David Ellison’s Paramount, a sign of the industry’s ongoing consolidation and the long tail of streaming’s disruption.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Colbert was given a pink slip with a long tail this year.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2025

Charlie Puth, “Changes” The long tail of “Sob Rock.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2025

I jumped to the hole just in time to see the tip end of his long tail disappearing.

From "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls