dovetail

1 of 2

noun

dove·​tail ˈdəv-ˌtāl How to pronounce dovetail (audio)
: something resembling a dove's tail
especially : a flaring tenon and a mortise into which it fits tightly making an interlocking joint between two pieces (as of wood)

Illustration of dovetail

Illustration of dovetail
  • 1 mortises
  • 2 tenons
  • 3 joint

dovetail

2 of 2

verb

dovetailed; dovetailing; dovetails

transitive verb

1
a
: to join by means of dovetails
b
: to cut to a dovetail
2
a
: to fit skillfully to form a whole
b
: to fit together with

intransitive verb

: to fit together into a whole

Examples of dovetail in a Sentence

Verb the Union and the Confederate accounts of the battle don't dovetail at all
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.
Noun
The new independent era dovetails with some of McKenna’s biggest shows. Thomas Smith, Billboard, 25 Oct. 2024 Zoom out: Democratic candidates' individual fundraising superiority dovetails with a strong third quarter for Democratic leadership. Andrew Solender, Axios, 17 Oct. 2024
Verb
The Republican presidential nominee’s Truth Social post in the final week of the race dovetailed with a broader GOP effort to sow doubts about Pennsylvania’s election integrity. Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2024 This dovetails with transparency, but in my experience, stakeholders may be skeptical of technology thrust on them without explanation. Cherian Koshy, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dovetail 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1573, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of dovetail was in 1573

Dictionary Entries Near dovetail

Cite this Entry

“Dovetail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dovetail. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

dovetail

1 of 2 noun
dove·​tail -ˌtāl How to pronounce dovetail (audio)
: something shaped like a dove's tail
especially : a joint between two pieces (as of wood) formed by a wedge-shaped part that fits tightly into a wedge-shaped slot in the other piece

dovetail

2 of 2 verb
1
a
: to join by means of dovetails
b
: to cut to a dovetail
2
: to fit skillfully together to form a whole

More from Merriam-Webster on dovetail

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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