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Synonyms

ponytail

American  
[poh-nee-teyl] / ˈpoʊ niˌteɪl /

noun

  1. an arrangement of the hair in a long lock drawn tightly against the back of the head and cinched so as to hang loosely.

ponytail British  
/ ˈpəʊnɪˌteɪl /

noun

  1. a hairstyle in which the hair is pulled tightly into a band or ribbon at the back of the head into a loose hanging fall

"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 ponytail

First recorded in 1870–75; pony + tail 1

Explanation

A ponytail is a hairstyle. To make a ponytail, gather your hair at the back or side of your head and secure it with a band so that it hangs down. The ponytail was named for its resemblance to the long tail of a horse or pony. While a classic ponytail might be defined as long hair banded at the back of the head, there are many variations. There are short, stubby ponytails; side ponytails; high and low ponytails; and double ponytails, sometimes called "pigtails." This hairstyle, once mainly worn by children, became very popular in the 1950s thanks to the introduction of the Barbie doll and her iconic ponytail.

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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.

"Some men when they have a midlife crisis buy a Lamborghini or grow a ponytail, but me - I want my very own castle," he said.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

Former classmates remember her as wearing Juicy Couture tracksuits over a white top, poker-straight hair tied up in a ponytail.

From Slate • Dec. 18, 2025

He wore black turtlenecks, short-sleeved because it was summer, and kept a stubby, utterly earnest ponytail.

From Salon • Nov. 23, 2025

A solid 6-foot-4, he wore turquoise jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, rings and a long, braided ponytail.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, blonde strands springing free in every direction.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day

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.