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

Maryland could end up with polka-dot districts, where neighborhoods in distant cities and rural counties are joined together with narrow tendrils to create a favorable mix of voters. — Colin Pascal, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026

This drab palette, however, is offset by bright pops of green through the glow-in-the-dark tendril overlays and the heel’s Adiprene and Torsion elements. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026

Her signature micro braids were scooped up into a half-up, half-down style with free-flowing tendrils curling around her forehead and cheekbones. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 27 Sep. 2026

Fast-growing microgreens such as watercress and pea shoots and tendrils can be grown and harvested in a couple of weeks. — The Spruce, 24 Sep. 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