1
a
: a bobbed tail
b
: a horse, dog, or cat with a bobbed or very short tail
especially
: old english sheepdog
2
: something curtailed
Examples of bobtail in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Like many of its relatives, the bobtail squid makes deft use of its light-emitting photophores to hunt, communicate with its peers, and hide from predators lurking below.
—
Discover Magazine, 29 June 2010
Pulau Mabul, Malaysia Diving enthusiasts flock to Pulau Mabul, off the southeastern coast of Malaysia, where the marine life is on par with the Galápagos — native sea moths, bobtail squids, and the elusive paintpot cuttlefish are just a few of the inhabitants.
—Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2023
Others, like one energetic Japanese bobtail, were more of a handful, biting at the toys used by the judge to get their attention and attempting to scale the scratching posts on either side of the judge's table.
—Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 20 Feb. 2023
At nightfall, the Hawaiian bobtail squid digs itself out of the sand and rises into the ocean water like a spaceship taking off.
—Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 9 Apr. 2013
The Hawaiian bobtail squid creates its own light, using special organs filled with glowing bacteria.
—Discover Magazine, 27 Apr. 2011
The 2-year-old bobtail cat belonged to Sexton's son, Kamryn Potter.
—Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 18 Aug. 2022
Most of his tail was amputated, leaving a very cute little stubby bobtail on his behind.
—Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 8 July 2022
That afternoon, members of the convoy drove their bobtail trucks through Black Lives Matter Plaza.
—Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2022
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Discover Magazine, 29 June 2010
Pulau Mabul, Malaysia Diving enthusiasts flock to Pulau Mabul, off the southeastern coast of Malaysia, where the marine life is on par with the Galápagos — native sea moths, bobtail squids, and the elusive paintpot cuttlefish are just a few of the inhabitants.
—Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2023
Others, like one energetic Japanese bobtail, were more of a handful, biting at the toys used by the judge to get their attention and attempting to scale the scratching posts on either side of the judge's table.
—Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 20 Feb. 2023
At nightfall, the Hawaiian bobtail squid digs itself out of the sand and rises into the ocean water like a spaceship taking off.
—Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 9 Apr. 2013
The Hawaiian bobtail squid creates its own light, using special organs filled with glowing bacteria.
—Discover Magazine, 27 Apr. 2011
The 2-year-old bobtail cat belonged to Sexton's son, Kamryn Potter.
—Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 18 Aug. 2022
Most of his tail was amputated, leaving a very cute little stubby bobtail on his behind.
—Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 8 July 2022
That afternoon, members of the convoy drove their bobtail trucks through Black Lives Matter Plaza.
—Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bobtail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
First Known Use
1667, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing bobtail
Dictionary Entries Near bobtail
Cite this Entry
“Bobtail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bobtail. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
bobtail
noun
bob·tail
-ˌtāl 
1
: a short or bobbed tail
2
: a horse, dog, or cat with a short or bobbed tail
bobtail
adjective
or bobtailed
-ˌtāld
More from Merriam-Webster on bobtail
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bobtail
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