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Definition of flufftail
flufftail
/ˈflʌf.teɪl/
fluff · tail
Plural:flufftails
flufftail Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
11
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
Any of various small, elusive, ground-dwelling birds of the family Sarothruridae (formerly placed with rails), native primarily to the dense marshes and forests of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar, characterized by their short, distinctively fluffy tail feathers.
Example
"The ornithology team waited patiently near the wetlands for hours in hopes of catching a rare glimpse of the red-chested flufftail."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for flufftailWord Origin & Etymology
A descriptive compound formed from 'fluff' + 'tail', referring directly to the bird's characteristic short, loose, and fluffy tail feathers.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Flufftail. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/flufftail