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bobtail

noun
bob·​tail | \ ˈbäb-ˌtāl \

Definition of bobtail

1a : a bobbed tail
b : a horse, dog, or cat with a bobbed or very short tail especially : old english sheepdog
2 : something curtailed
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Other Words from bobtail

bobtail or bobtailed \ ˈbäb-​ˌtāld \ adjective

Examples of bobtail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Hawaiian bobtail squid sleep under the sand all day, coming out to forage at night. — National Geographic, "Living Fireworks, These Animals Produce Light Shows with Their Bodies," 30 June 2018 Studies of the squid's giant axon helped spawn modern neuroscience decades ago, and the light organ of the bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) powered a revolution in the study of symbiotic host-microbe interactions. — Danna Staaf, Science | AAAS, "How to put an octopus to sleep—and make cephalopod research more humane," 4 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bobtail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of bobtail

1667, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for bobtail

bob entry 4

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Time Traveler for bobtail

The first known use of bobtail was in 1667

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More Definitions for bobtail

bobtail

noun
bob·​tail | \ ˈbäb-ˌtāl \

Kids Definition of bobtail

1 : a short tail : a tail cut short
2 : an animal (as a dog) with a short tail

More from Merriam-Webster on bobtail

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with bobtail

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bobtail

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