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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Examples of bobtail in a Sentence

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Hawaiian bobtail squid light up via bioluminescent bacteria living in one of their organs; the light camouflages them against moonlight on the surface and eliminates their shadow, obscuring them from predators. — Liz Langley, National Geographic, "How bioluminescence works in nature," 2 May 2019 Every evening, nocturnal Hawaiian bobtail squids (Euprymna scolopes) emerge from their burrows in shallow waters of the Pacific to hunt for shrimp. — Quanta Magazine, "New Squid Genome Shines Light on Symbiotic Evolution," 19 Feb. 2019 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.