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

Many, many softly curled tendrils descended from all angles, giving the updo even more soft texture and brushing her neck and collarbones for a flirtatious, come-hither vibe. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 6 Apr. 2026

Purple-pink brittle stars still clung to the corals, their tendril-like arms wrapping around the branches like yarn. —Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026

The second shows the entire globe with the oceans topped by swirling white tendrils of clouds. —Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026

The second shows the entire globe with the oceans topped by swirling white tendrils of clouds. —Marcia Dunn, Fortune, 3 Apr. 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