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

Hilton styled her blonde hair in a romantic updo with a middle part and face-framing tendrils that curled away from her face. —Lara Walsh, InStyle, 21 Jan. 2026

During her on-court warm-ups, Osaka donned a zip-up jacket with organic, wavy tendrils hanging from the sleeves. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 20 Jan. 2026

The nautical number incorporated the sea creature, featuring a tie-dye turquoise and green zip-up with organic tendrils dripping from the sleeves, layered over a coordinating racerback. —Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026

Sparse tendrils of dust give way to billowing ripples of gas, forming myriad fractal structures in which, one day, new worlds may coalesce. —Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 20 Jan. 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