rooster tail

noun

: a high arching spray (as of water, dust, or snow) thrown up behind a fast-moving motorboat, motor vehicle, or skier

Examples of rooster tail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Instead, pre-rinse anything that has more than a modest rooster tail of grit on it; just one or two hand soaks and rinses is enough to get most of the gunk out. Joe Lindsey, Outside Online, 17 July 2021 Byron and Logano said the visibility was next to zero on the track's two high-speed straights because of the rooster tail of spray spit out by the cars ahead. Jim Vertuno, Star Tribune, 22 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rooster tail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rooster tail was in 1934

Dictionary Entries Near rooster tail

Cite this Entry

“Rooster tail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rooster%20tail. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

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