bobtail

[ bob-teyl ]

noun

1. a short or docked tail. tails.
2. an animal with such a tail. tails.

adjective

1. Also bobtailed. having a bobtail.
2. cut short; docked; cropped.
3. shorter or briefer than usual; abbreviated:

   Several legislative items must be dropped from the current bobtail session of Congress.

verb (used with object)

1. to cut short the tail tails of; dock, often by cutting a muscle in a horse's tail to make it stand erect.

bobtail

/ ˈbɒbˌteɪl /

noun

1. a docked or diminutive tail
2. an animal with such a tail

adjective

1. having the tail cut short

verb

1. to dock the tail of
2. to cut short; curtail

Word History and Origins

Origin of bobtail¹

First recorded in 1535–45; bob ² + tail ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of bobtail¹

C16: from bob ² + tail ¹

Example Sentences

He drives a bobtail truck moving furniture across Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times

It was a large, robust cat about the size of a jaguar, with an elongated face, lanky front legs, and a sloping back that ended in a bobtail.

From Science Daily

Crook’s group has been comparing several painkillers in bobtail squid, but Crook says that they haven’t had much luck figuring out which drugs are the most effective, despite testing hundreds of animals.

From Scientific American

Research will shift from the day octopus to the Hawaiian bobtail squid, which is unregulated.

From Washington Times

Dr. Crook keeps a self-sustaining colony of hummingbird bobtail squid, which she began with individuals from the Marine Biological Laboratory.

From New York Times