foxtail

noun

fox·​tail ˈfäks-ˌtāl 

1

a

: the tail of a fox

b

: something resembling the tail of a fox

2

: any of several grasses (especially genera Alopecurus, Hordeum, and Setaria) with spikes resembling brushes

called also foxtail grass

Examples of foxtail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The goats ate their way through verdant grasses, woody shrubs, and invasive weeds such as Italian thistle and foxtail barley, entertaining their hosts all the while. — Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2026

Orchard grass, quack grass, Johnson grass, barnyard grass, foxtail grass, and dallisgrass can also appear. — Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2026

To balance the red hues, Plumosa and foxtail asparagus ferns arch outward and add texture. — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 1 June 2026

Unlike some of the other plants on our list, a happy foxtail fern will flower. — Lauren Wellbank, Martha Stewart, 2 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing foxtail

• foxtail lily
• foxtail millet

Rhymes for foxtail

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• curtail
• derail
• detail
• dovetail
• email

Kids Definition

foxtail

noun

fox·​tail -ˌtāl 

1

: the tail of a fox

2

: any of several grasses with spikes that resemble brushes