tails

American

[teylz] / teɪlz /

adjective

(of a coin) with the reverse facing up.

On the next toss, the coin came up tails.

noun

tailcoat.

tails British

/ teɪlz /

plural noun

an informal name for tail coat

"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

interjection

with the reverse side of a coin uppermost: used as a call before tossing a coin Compare heads

"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 tails

First recorded in 1675–85; tail ¹ + -s ¹

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.

“Guys, thank you for coming to my midlife crisis,” said Eric André, standing on a podium in front of the Colburn Orchestra in a black tuxedo with tails and wielding a baton.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

They formed closer to the Sun early in the solar system's history and are generally dry, rocky bodies without the icy material that produces comet tails.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2026

Trump loves to dress up in white tie and tails to hob-nob with the royals.

From Salon • May 3, 2026

Importantly, defense spending and the potential for rearming will be “one of the long tails of this war,” Blitz wrote in a Wednesday client note, which also warned of related inflation risks.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

The bell rang at Brookshire Boys Academy, and an ocean of testosteronies crashed into the hallway, green ties swinging like polyester tails coming from their throats.

From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023