peacock's tail

British  

noun

1. a handsome brown seaweed, Padina pavonia (though coloured yellow-olive, red, and green) whose fan-shaped fronds have concentric bands of iridescent hairs

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Example Sentences

In 1860 Charles Darwin wrote, “The sight of a feather in a peacock’s tail, whenever I gaze at it, makes me sick!”

From National Geographic • Oct. 10, 2023

Sometimes, they’re decorations to attract a female’s eye, like a peacock’s tail feathers or the vibrant colors on a lizard’s belly.

From New York Times • Jan. 16, 2023

The peacock’s tail is an example of the handicap principle.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

It is not the equivalent of the extravagant peacock's tail, which makes males more attractive to females and increases the chances of passing genes on to the next generation.

From BBC • May 27, 2019

A domed ceiling held the rich blue color of a peacock's tail trimmed with gold.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton