cattail

noun

cat·​tail ˈkat-ˌtāl How to pronounce cattail (audio)
: any of a genus (Typha of the family Typhaceae, the cattail family) of tall reedy marsh plants with brown furry fruiting spikes
especially : a plant (Typha latifolia) with long flat leaves used especially for making mats and chair seats

Examples of cattail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Unlike most of the relatively flat Dakota prairie, the Missouri breaks that make up much of Sutton Bay’s landscape create an assortment of coulees with cattail bottoms, perfect lairs to hide the shifty late-season pheasants. Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024 Phosphorous fuels algal blooms, and once unleashed into the Everglades, allows plants such as cattails to choke out natural vegetation. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 25 Nov. 2024 Tucked at the base of a ridge of ragged, jagged bare rock and fringed by cattails, Ayer Lake is home for the endangered desert pupfish and the Gila topminnow. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 26 Oct. 2024 For example, in a sea of cattails, an island dry spot will likely have some tree cover around it. Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cattail 

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cattail was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near cattail

Cite this Entry

“Cattail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cattail. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

cattail

noun
cat·​tail ˈkat-ˌtāl How to pronounce cattail (audio)
: a tall marsh plant that bears very tiny flowers and fruit in brown furry spikes at the end of long stalks

More from Merriam-Webster on cattail

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!