Illustration of dovetail
- 1 mortises
- 2 tenons
- 3 joint
: something resembling a dove's tail
especially
: a flaring tenon and a mortise into which it fits tightly making an interlocking joint between two pieces (as of wood)
dovetailed; dovetailing; dovetails
1
a
: to join by means of dovetails
b
: to cut to a dovetail
2
a
: to fit skillfully to form a whole
b
: to fit together with
: to fit together into a whole
Examples of dovetail in a Sentence
Verb
the Union and the Confederate accounts of the battle don't dovetail at all
Recent Examples on the Web
Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
There's just something about old furniture that showcases wood with dovetail joinery and a perfect patina, evoking a cozy sense of nostalgia.
—Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 17 Apr. 2026
Uthmeier has also gone out of his way to weaken criminal cases that don’t dovetail with his philosophy, including an Orlando road-rage case where a man was shot to death.
—Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dovetail
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Noun
Look for solid-wood pieces with clean lines and signs of thoughtful construction, such as dovetail joinery.
—Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
There's just something about old furniture that showcases wood with dovetail joinery and a perfect patina, evoking a cozy sense of nostalgia.
—Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
The couple’s focus on human health and ecosystem viability dovetails neatly with their stewardship of a house designed for communion with nature.
—Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 17 Apr. 2026
Uthmeier has also gone out of his way to weaken criminal cases that don’t dovetail with his philosophy, including an Orlando road-rage case where a man was shot to death.
—Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dovetail
Cite this Entry
“Dovetail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dovetail. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dovetail
1 of 2 noun
dove·tail
-ˌtāl 
: something shaped like a dove's tail
especially
: a joint between two pieces (as of wood) formed by a wedge-shaped part that fits tightly into a wedge-shaped slot in the other piece
dovetail
2 of 2 verb1
a
: to join by means of dovetails
b
: to cut to a dovetail
2
: to fit skillfully together to form a whole
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