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Definition of cattail

cattail

/ˈkæt.teɪl/
cat · tail
Plural:cattails
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cattail Lexical Profile

cattail Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A tall, reed-like marsh plant of the genus Typha, native to wetlands globally, characterized by long, flat, strap-like leaves and a distinctive, dark brown, velvety cylindrical flower spike.

Example

"Red-winged blackbirds often build their nests among the dense stands of cattails along the edge of the marsh."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for cattail

Word Nuance & Usage

In British English, cattails are typically referred to as reedmace or bulrushes, though 'bulrush' in North America often refers to a completely different group of wetland plants (genus Scirpus).

• Rhymes for cattail

• Nearby Words

catshark
catskills
catsuit
cattail
cattery
cattily
cattiness

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the mid-16th century in English, derived directly from the resemblance of the plant's characteristic brown, fuzzy, and cylindrical flower spike to the tail of a domestic cat.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Cattail. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 6, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/cattail
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