tails

American  

[teylz] / teɪlz /

adjective

1. (of a coin) with the reverse facing up.

   On the next toss, the coin came up tails.

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noun

1. tailcoat.

tails British  

/ teɪlz /

plural noun

1. an informal name for tail coat

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interjection

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

Etymology

Origin of tails

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

Example Sentences

“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

Axolotls are famous for their extraordinary ability to regrow entire limbs along with tails, spinal cord tissue, and parts of organs including the heart, brain, lungs, liver, and jaw.

From Science Daily • May 9, 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

My parents were left with a choice: Move back to Argentina with their tails between their legs, or start again where they were.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

Their slow footsteps crunched in the grass, their teeth chewed and chewed, their tails flicked at flies.

From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown

Related Words

• cloak
• frock
• jacket
• overcoat
• raincoat
• suit
• tuxedo
• windbreaker
• wrap