tailgater

¹ American  

[teyl-gey-ter] / ˈteɪlˌgeɪ tər /

noun

1. a person who drives hazardously close to the rear of another moving vehicle.

2. a person who participates in a tailgate picnic.

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tailgater ² American  

[teyl-gey-ter] / ˈteɪlˌgeɪ tər /

noun

1. a musician who plays trombone in tailgate style.

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Etymology

Origin of tailgater¹

tailgate ¹ + -er ¹

Origin of tailgater²

tailgate ² + -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tailgater

In case you hate tailgaters too, or are a tailgater yourself, here’s what to do:

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025

This might not be on the minds of the tailgater, but it’s a major concern.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 9, 2023

Around 70 people breach Gate K disabled pass gate, when staff use it to eject a tailgater.

From BBC ● Dec. 3, 2021

Williams, another avid tailgater who hosts his own group, purchased a bus he calls “the Diesel” — pimped out with TVs inside to watch other NFL games and places to sit.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 22, 2017

In describing one such dangerous scenario with a tailgater, he used the phrase, “Let’s say you are doing the speed limit in the left lane . . .”

From Washington Post ● Oct. 8, 2016