mare's-tail

[ mairz-teyl ]

noun

1. a long narrow cirrus cloud whose flowing appearance somewhat resembles a horse's tail.
2. an erect, aquatic, Old World plant, Hippuris vulgaris, having crowded whorls of narrow, hairlike leaves.

mare's-tail

noun

1. a wisp of trailing cirrus cloud, often indicating high winds in the upper troposphere
2. an erect cosmopolitan pond plant, Hippuris vulgaris, with minute flowers and crowded whorls of narrow leaves: family Hippuridaceae

Word History and Origins

Origin of mare's-tail¹

First recorded in 1755–65

Example Sentences

The artificial banks of sand and peat which line it are generally well grown with mare's-tail, beautiful clumps of wild roses, purple vetch, great beds of sensitive ferns, and masses of Pennsylvania anemone, while the pools are decked with water-anemone.

From Project Gutenberg

On the shore, where it is marshy, the mare’s-tail flourishes over some acres: there is often a slight marshy odour here, which increases as the foot presses the yielding mud.

From Project Gutenberg

Ark is also the name of a mare's-tail cloud, or cirrhus, when it forms a streak across the sky.

From Project Gutenberg

Long, dappled mare's-tail clouds stretched across the pale November sky, and every now and then the sun shone out between them.

From Project Gutenberg

There is a disembodied skylark voice somewhere high up in the mare's-tail clouds which veil the earth from too much heat and brightness; and the young heart is unhardened and unspotted from the world.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• darkness
• fog
• gloom
• mist
• puff
• smog
• smoke
• steam
• vapor
• veil