Synonyms

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.

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

He wanted to take a crack at writing like artists like Billie Eilish, but he couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

England will start the tournament with their tails up after beating co-hosts Sri Lanka in both one-day international and T20 series -- they have lost just one T20 series since the 2024 World Cup.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

In 1963 a “Gentleman’s C” was common, but students had to work their tails off to get a B. A’s were rare: only 10% of marks in 1963.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 25, 2025

They were stomping their feet and swishing their tails.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

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