shirt-tail: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal (for the clothing term and relational use). The journalistic sense is professional jargon.
Quick answer
What does “shirt-tail” mean?
The lower, loose part of a shirt, especially at the back, that is designed to be tucked into trousers or a skirt.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The lower, loose part of a shirt, especially at the back, that is designed to be tucked into trousers or a skirt.
A brief, often hastily added note or addition at the end of a newspaper article or piece of writing. Informally, can refer to a young child or a very distant relative.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The spelling 'shirttail' (one word, no hyphen) is more common in American English. The journalistic sense is strongly associated with American newspaper tradition. The relational sense (e.g., 'shirttail cousin') is more prevalent in American English, especially in Southern and rural dialects.
Connotations
In the UK, the term is almost exclusively sartorial. In the US, the relational use can carry connotations of informality, rurality, or a large, extended family network.
Frequency
The basic clothing term is understood in both varieties but is not a high-frequency lexical item. The extended senses are far more common in American English.
Grammar
How to Use “shirt-tail” in a Sentence
[Subject] tucks in his/her/their shirt-tail.[Journalist] added a shirt-tail to the story.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “shirt-tail” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The journalist decided to shirt-tail a brief update to the online article.
American English
- He shirttailed a quick correction at the end of his column.
adjective
British English
- He's just a shirt-tail relative, so we don't see him often.
American English
- She invested based on a shirttail tip from a friend in the industry.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used, except perhaps in very informal descriptions of dress code.
Academic
Virtually never used.
Everyday
Used when discussing clothing or, in the US, extended family connections.
Technical
Specific jargon in journalism for a brief, appended note to a published story.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “shirt-tail”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “shirt-tail”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “shirt-tail”
- Misspelling as 'shirttale' (confusing with 'tale' a story).
- Using the hyphenated form in American contexts where the closed form is standard.
- Overusing the figurative senses in formal writing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is commonly found as both a hyphenated compound ('shirt-tail') and a single word ('shirttail'). American English strongly prefers the closed form 'shirttail', especially for the journalistic sense.
Yes, primarily in journalistic jargon. It means to append a short note or update to an article, e.g., 'The reporter shirttailed the mayor's response.'
It's an informal, chiefly American term for a very distant relative, someone connected by such a long chain of relations that the connection seems as tenuous as a loose shirt-tail.
No, the core clothing sense is neutral but leans informal. The relational sense is informal/colloquial. Only the journalistic sense is formal within that specific professional context.
The lower, loose part of a shirt, especially at the back, that is designed to be tucked into trousers or a skirt.
Shirt-tail: in British English it is pronounced /ˈʃɜːt teɪl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈʃɝːt ˌteɪl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on someone's shirt-tail: relying on or benefiting from someone else's success or efforts.”
- “shirt-tail relative: a very distant relative.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a shirt with a 'tail' like a cat's – it's the part you have to 'tuck in' so it doesn't flap around.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SHIRT IS AN ANIMAL (with a tail); AN APPENDED NOTE IS A PHYSICAL APPENDAGE (like a tail).
Practice
Quiz
In American journalism, what does 'shirttail' most specifically refer to?