pigtail

[ pig-teyl ]

noun

1. a braid of hair hanging down the back of the head.
2. pigtails, two bunches of hair gathered and fastened on either side of the head, in braids or hanging freely.
3. tobacco in a thin, twisted roll.
4. Electricity.
   1. a short, flexible wire used in connecting a stationary terminal with a terminal having a limited range of motion.
   2. a short wire connected to an electric device, as a lead or ground.

pigtail

/ ˈpɪɡˌteɪl /

noun

1. a bunch of hair or one of two bunches on either side of the face, worn loose or plaited
2. a twisted roll of tobacco

Derived Forms

• ˈpigˌtailed, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pigtail¹

First recorded in 1680–90; pig ¹ + tail ¹

Example Sentences

A wiry longtime martial arts practitioner who sometimes wears his hair in long pigtail braids, the 53-year-old Nguyen plays the role of firearms sensei.

From Los Angeles Times

Doja Cat, “Agora Hills” The year’s scariest pop flirtation: “Boys be mad that I don’t f— incels / Girls hate too, gun to their pigtail.”

From Los Angeles Times

Mitchell sat in the centre, wearing a pink floral silk shirt, with her hair in pigtail braids under a purple beret, and carrying a cane adorned with a small bear's head.

From BBC

Mitchell held court in pigtail braids, chic sunglasses and a floral silk shirt that billowed in the canyon winds.

From New York Times

And Merry thinks venomously of the chef Mario Batali, who also faced allegations of sexual assault, with his “sickening oily red pigtail at the base of his balding, spotted head.”

From New York Times