What does "rattail" mean?
Any of the large dark-colored deep-sea fish of the Macrouridae family of ray-finned fish.
Rattail
/ˈɹæt.teɪl/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any of the large dark-colored deep-sea fish of the Macrouridae family of ray-finned fish.
- Grammar: rattail is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: braid, brush, bun, cauda.
- Usage evidence: In the North Atlantic, Russians pioneered the harvesting of rattails, a ubiquitous deep fish with big eyes and a long tail that swishes back and forth in a sinuous motion.
How to use "rattail"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "rattail" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "rattail" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "rattail" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "rattail" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "rattail" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "braid" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "rattail", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any of the large dark-colored deep-sea fish of the Macrouridae family of ray-finned fish.
"In the North Atlantic, Russians pioneered the harvesting of rattails, a ubiquitous deep fish with big eyes and a long tail that swishes back and forth in a sinuous motion."
- 2 deep-sea fish with a large head and body and long tapering tail wordnet
- 3 A fish, a California chimera (Hydrolagus colliei, syn. Chimaera colliei).
- 4 A hairstyle characterized by a long lock of tail-like hair dangling from the back of the head; the dangling lock itself.
"All of which could explain why, when I had my hair styled in a tight ponytail for the shoot accompanying this feature, most people who saw me thought I looked "unapproachable" (which might simply be a polite way of saying: "You looked like you had a rattail and a Croydon facelift")."
- 5 A type of file (cutting tool) with a round cross section and usually also a taper toward the distal end.
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A towel that has been tightly twisted along the diagonal to make a rudimentary whip with a towel corner at the tip, typically used in juvenile pranks. slang
- 7 An excrescence growing from the pastern to the middle of the shank of a horse.
- 8 The flowering plant Stachytarpheta cayennensis.
Example
"In the North Atlantic, Russians pioneered the harvesting of rattails, a ubiquitous deep fish with big eyes and a long tail that swishes back and forth in a sinuous motion."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "rattail"?
Common synonyms include: braid, brush, bun, cauda, caudal appendage, caudation.
How do you use "rattail" in a sentence?
In the North Atlantic, Russians pioneered the harvesting of rattails, a ubiquitous deep fish with big eyes and a long tail that swishes back and forth in a sinuous motion.
How do you pronounce "rattail"?
Pronounced /ˈɹæt.teɪl/.
Etymology
From rat + tail: all of the nonliteral senses come from something else's fancied resemblance to the tail of a rat.