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Definition of tripletail
tripletail
/ˈtrɪp.əl.teɪl/
trip · le · tail
Plural:tripletails
tripletail Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
8
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
tripletail Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A large, deep-bodied marine fish found in warm and tropical seas globally, characterized by extended, rounded soft rays on its dorsal and anal fins that create the illusion of the fish having three tails.
Example
"Anglers often spot the tripletail floating on its side near buoys or flotsam, cleverly mimicking a dead leaf before striking its prey."
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed as a compound of 'triple' and 'tail', describing the fish's large, rounded dorsal and anal fins which extend backward to resemble two additional tails alongside its actual caudal fin.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Tripletail. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/tripletail