shirt·tail
ˈshərt-ˌtāl 
1
: the part of a shirt that reaches below the waist especially in the back
2
: something small or inadequate
1
: very young : immature
shirttail boys fishing in the creek
2
: distantly and indefinitely related
a shirttail cousin on her father's side
3
: small, trivial, or short typically to the point of inadequacy
has a gullied shirttail ranch in the hills
Examples of shirttail in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 20 June 2025
It’s made with a midweight, breathable linen and rayon blend and has a relaxed fit with a tunic-length shirttail hem, chest pocket, and cuffed long sleeves.
—Shea Simmons, People.com, 11 June 2025
Related Articles Dear Abby: Is there a way to tell the crass shirttail relations that they’re not invited?
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 10 May 2025
It’s finished with slight puff sleeves and a shirttail hem.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 3 Apr. 2025
The shirt is crafted out of luxe, 100-percent Italian cotton which is cool to the touch; has an intentionally longer shirttail for some trendy asymmetry; and boasts an overall tailored fit that’s universally flattering.
—Stacia Datskovska, WWD, 18 Mar. 2025
Wear the shirt French tucked or with the shirttail out.
—Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Feb. 2025
Siegfried and Tristan return to town drunk, their shirttails out, holding nearly empty bottles of wine.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2025
And through it all, Carnesecca was a swirling, kinetic presence on the sidelines, arms flailing, legs kicking, shirttails flying, all 5-foot-6 of him curled in exasperation over a missed shot or agonizing call.
—Mike Fitzpatrick, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024
Darren Franich, EW.com, 14 Sep. 2020
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Noun
Outside of its flowy style, the dress also features a V-neck band collar and a curved shirttail hem that gives it a touch of feminine flair.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 20 June 2025
It’s made with a midweight, breathable linen and rayon blend and has a relaxed fit with a tunic-length shirttail hem, chest pocket, and cuffed long sleeves.
—Shea Simmons, People.com, 11 June 2025
Related Articles Dear Abby: Is there a way to tell the crass shirttail relations that they’re not invited?
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 10 May 2025
It’s finished with slight puff sleeves and a shirttail hem.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 3 Apr. 2025
The shirt is crafted out of luxe, 100-percent Italian cotton which is cool to the touch; has an intentionally longer shirttail for some trendy asymmetry; and boasts an overall tailored fit that’s universally flattering.
—Stacia Datskovska, WWD, 18 Mar. 2025
Wear the shirt French tucked or with the shirttail out.
—Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Feb. 2025
Siegfried and Tristan return to town drunk, their shirttails out, holding nearly empty bottles of wine.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2025
And through it all, Carnesecca was a swirling, kinetic presence on the sidelines, arms flailing, legs kicking, shirttails flying, all 5-foot-6 of him curled in exasperation over a missed shot or agonizing call.
—Mike Fitzpatrick, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Ratched is a shirttail American Horror Story spinoff that owes a clear debt to that anthology’s transcendent Asylum entry.
—Darren Franich, EW.com, 14 Sep. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Shirttail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shirttail. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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