pigtail
Americannoun
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pigtails
plural
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a braid of hair hanging down the back of the head.
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pigtails, two bunches of hair gathered and fastened on either side of the head, in braids or hanging freely.
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tobacco in a thin, twisted roll.
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Electricity.
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a short, flexible wire used in connecting a stationary terminal with a terminal having a limited range of motion.
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a short wire connected to an electric device, as a lead or ground.
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noun
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a bunch of hair or one of two bunches on either side of the face, worn loose or plaited
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a twisted roll of tobacco
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of pigtail
Explanation
A pigtail is a section of hair tied at the back or sides of a person's head so that it sticks out a little or hangs down. Although pigs only have one, pigtails often come in pairs. Some people think pigtails and braids are two different hairstyles (and often, a single pony tail to be a third), but others just call them all pigtails. The word, an American invention, originally described a twisted piece of chewing tobacco that was thought to resemble a pig's curly tail. The hairstyle was first called pigtails in the mid-1700s.
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.
See Examples For:
Mitchell sat in the centre, wearing a pink floral silk shirt, with her hair in pigtail braids under a purple beret, and carrying a cane adorned with a small bear's head.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2023
Although the servers’ pigtail stories are far from scientific, experts aren’t surprised.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 21, 2022
While the original Rig 800 had an ugly pigtail of a USB breakout antenna box, I wrote it had epic reach — enough to let me walk across the house and get a snack.
From The Verge ● May 10, 2022
His characters, who included herbalists and nightclub dancers, ate foods that were unknown to most Americans such as "medicine pigtail soup," "smoked duck feet steamed with pork" or "bitter melon."
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2016
“I hear your wife’s frock never turned up in time,” said someone with a mottled face and a sailor’s pigtail, and he laughed, and dug Maxim in the ribs.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
But there is a way to shape public opinion on this issue: Warren and her allies in Congress could simply point Americans toward an iconic redhead with pigtails.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026
She and her dancers arrived onstage painted in hot pink, the swamp princess’ hair fashioned into high pigtails.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
But "when I'm with Hyodol, I never get hurt", she said, holding the cuddly doll with pigtails and a pink gingham dress, provided by her local municipality.
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
Lancashire, who appeared at the hearing via a video link from HMP Peterborough, wore her brown hair in pigtails - one tied with a pink ribbon and one with a blue ribbon.
From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2026
She had pigtails and puffy red eyes, and she carried a blanket in one hand and a raggedy cardboard suitcase in the other.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
