cattail

noun

cat·​tail ˈkat-ˌtāl How to pronounce cattail (audio)
: any of a genus (Typha of the family Typhaceae, the cattail family) of tall reedy marsh plants with brown furry fruiting spikes
especially : a plant (Typha latifolia) with long flat leaves used especially for making mats and chair seats

Examples of cattail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This spur trail off the adjacent greenway carries you over some grassy wetlands with regenerating hardwoods and a cattail marsh. Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 An Eastern phoebe perched on a cattail stem and an incoming swamp sparrow called from the thick grass. Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Behind the pale trunks of quaking aspens and bright orange autumn leaves are rows of cattails, and together, the composition looked to the photographer as if it had been painted, per a statement. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Jan. 2024 Fulvous nests can usually be found among tall reeds, cattails, and other brush. M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 10 Jan. 2024 With Western aid stalled, Ukrainian troops run low on artillery shells The archipelago of islands had provided good cover, with tall cattails and wide bushes. Serhii Korolchuk, Washington Post, 4 Jan. 2024 One of my best public-land spots is a hardwood peninsula that juts out into a big cattail marsh. Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 21 Apr. 2022 The male blackbirds tend to perch atop cattails, while the females spend more time on the ground, foraging and hopping around on lily pads. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 July 2023 Willows, cattails, small fish and Sonoran mud turtles have returned to sections of the river that now flow year-round. The Arizona Republic, 21 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cattail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cattail was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near cattail

Cite this Entry

“Cattail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cattail. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cattail

noun
cat·​tail ˈkat-ˌtāl How to pronounce cattail (audio)
: a tall marsh plant that bears very tiny flowers and fruit in brown furry spikes at the end of long stalks

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