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ponytail

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

noun

ponytails plural
  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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

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.

The Stones chose the Echoplex, on a night already reserved for Check Yo Ponytail, which put Chan in a key role for hottest ticket in town that week.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 19, 2024

Check Yo Ponytail landed an open-ended residency in 2010 at Echoplex, hosting a wide range of cutting-edge DJs and live acts, from the rediscovered Detroit protopunk act Death to haunting singer-songwriter Chelsea Wolfe.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 19, 2024

They were identified in an indictment only as Shaved Head, Ponytail, Khaki and Spiky Belt.

From New York Times • Aug. 8, 2019

The Divine Ponytail would later become the only Italian ever to score in three World Cups, but will never be allowed to forget that lone spot-kick scooped towards the heavens.

From The Guardian • May 28, 2014

I got Ponytail by a nose—second place—then collapsed, people cheering all around me, jumping up and down in the stands quickly becoming a wavy blur of color as the tears rose.

From "Patina" by Jason Reynolds

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