What does "dovetail" mean?

The tail of a dove (family Columbidae); also, something having the shape of a dove's tail.

What is a synonym for "dovetail"?

Common synonyms include: accord, agree, ankle, answer, answer to, articulate.

//ˈdʌvteɪl// noun, verb

noun, verb ·Common ·High school level

Noun

1
The tail of a dove (family Columbidae); also, something having the shape of a dove's tail.
"Beſides this, another fine Starfiſh came to my Hands, […] Its body hath ten corners, and it hath a Star above vvith as many Rays; each of theſe one may compare unto a Sail of the VVindmills that the Children run againſt the VVind vvithal, or to a piece of ſuch Croſſes that are broad before, and narrovv vvhere they meet together; that is to ſay, of the ſhape of a Dove-tail: […]"
2
a mortise joint formed by interlocking tenons and mortises wordnet
3
In full dovetail joint: a type of joint where adjoining components are fastened by multiple tenons cut into wedge shapes resembling a dove's tail, which interlock with mortises having corresponding shapes. attributive, often
"[T]heſe muſt be joined at Bottom to the Piles by a ſtrong Dove-tail, and the Piles joined vvith Braces; […]"
4
A tenon cut into a wedge shape resembling a dove's tail so that it interlocks with a mortise having a corresponding shape in a dovetail joint. attributive, often
5
A line resembling a dovetail joint (sense 2.1).
"I ſhall add other tvvo Forms of Lines, […] The firſt of theſe tvvo is termed Patee, or Dove-Tail, from a Form of Art uſed by Joiners, vvho make Joints one into the other by that Name: […]"

Verb

1
To unite (components) with a dovetail (noun sense 2.1) or similar joint. transitive
"[T]heſe Piles ought to be placed contrary to the Stillings, vvhich ſurround or croſs them every three Feet, and Dove-tail'd into the ſquare Supporters; […]"
2
fit together tightly, as if by means of a dovetail wordnet
3
To combine or fit (things) together well. figuratively, transitive
"The executive board dovetailed its decision neatly with the prior projects the company had taken up."
4
To interweave (a number of algorithms or subprograms) so that they can be run more or less simultaneously. figuratively, transitive
"However, we can construct a single master algorithm M that DPExact learns from unknown distribution D by simply dovetailing the algorithms A. The precise way in which we dovetail the algorithms depends on whether our goal is time or query efficiency."
5
To seamlessly move a melody from one instrument to another. figuratively, transitive

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6
Of several things: to combine or fit together well. figuratively, intransitive
"The parts of your essay should dovetail so that it is cohesive and coherent."
7
To adapt to something; to fit in. intransitive
"If I have a row with any fellow, he’s always the first to taunt me with being what he and his friends have made me. I don’t feel it so much now. I used to at first. One dovetails into all that sort of thing in time, and the edge of your feelings, as I may say, wears off by degrees."

"It's not always that our postures dovetail exactly. And yet, the overlapping and mutual interests abound."

The noun is derived from dove + tail. The verb is derived from the noun.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.