tendril

noun

ten·​dril ˈten-drəl 

1

: a leaf, stipule, or stem modified into a slender spirally coiling sensitive organ serving to attach a climbing plant to its support

2

: something suggestive of a tendril

creeping tendrils of fog

tendriled adjective

or tendrilled

ˈten-drəld 

tendrilous

ˈten-drə-ləs 

adjective

Illustration of tendril

• tendril 1

Examples of tendril in a Sentence

A few tendrils of hair framed her face.

Recent Examples on the Web

Staying on theme, Diaz tossed her hair into a quick updo with face-framing tendrils hanging out. — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 17 June 2026

Plastic comes out of the printer in an almost unrecognizable state, covered in oddly organic-looking tendrils of plastic called supports. — Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2026

Her otherwise warm and neutral makeup is given intensity with a wash of forest green across and beyond her lids, where her curly tendrils just happen to hit. — Marci Robin, Allure, 8 June 2026

Pea shoots are the delicate leaves, stems and tendrils of the snow pea plant. — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably modification of Middle French tendron bud, cartilage, alteration of Old French tenrum, from Vulgar Latin *tenerumen, from Latin tener tender — more at tender entry 1

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tendril

noun

ten·​dril ˈten-drəl 

1

: a slender leafless winding stem by which some climbing plants fasten themselves to a support

2

: something that curls like a tendril

tendrils of hair