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Definition of scissortail

scissortail

/ˈsɪz.ɚˌteɪl/
scis · sor · tail

Plural:scissortails
•
Adjective:scissortailed
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scissortail Lexical Profile

scissortail Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A North and Central American tyrant flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus), the state bird of Oklahoma, notable for its pale gray plumage, salmon-pink flanks, and extremely long, deeply forked tail that opens and closes like scissors in flight.

Example

"A graceful scissortail perched on the barbed-wire fence along the Oklahoma prairie road, its long tail feathers streaming in the wind."


2

Any of several small fishes having a deeply forked tail with dark or contrasting markings on the lobes that move like scissors when swimming, especially the freshwater scissortail rasbora (Rasbora trilineata) of Southeast Asia or certain marine damselfishes (genus Chromis).

Example

"The aquarist added a school of peaceful scissortails to the planted community tank."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for scissortail

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Scissortail. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/scissortail
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