pigtail

noun

pig·​tail ˈpig-ˌtāl 

plural pigtails

1

: tobacco in small twisted strands or rolls

2

: a lock of hair that has been gathered and banded or braided together at the back or side of the head

The hostess wore a peasant blouse and skirt and had her hair done up in a single thick pigtail …

—John Updike

—often used in the plural for a hairstyle in which two such locks or braids of hair are worn on either side of the head

a little girl in pigtails

… there's another hairstyle you should definitely try this year: Pigtails … I mean twin high ponytails that sprout from the top or sides of your head and kind of look like animal ears …

—Erica Smith

Examples of pigtail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

To go with her white Gucci slip dress, with crystal spaghetti straps and girly bow detail, Fanning wore her hair in a voluminous pigtail style that looks time-warped right from the 1960s. —Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 11 Dec. 2024

The actress also wore a retro bouffant with pigtails, channeling ’60s style icon Brigitte Bardot. —Hannah Malach, WWD, 16 Dec. 2024

Appearing earlier this week at the Los Angeles premiere of A Complete Unknown, Fanning made the case for pigtails on the red carpet. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 Dec. 2024

Her 1960s-style up-do was finished with a pair of tousled pigtails, secured with two crystal hair-ties which doubled as Fanning’s jewelry for the evening. —Leah Dolan, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

pigtail

noun

pig·​tail -ˌtāl 

: a tight braid of hair

pigtailed

-ˌtāld

adjective