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

Pin back one side of your loose lengths, leaving tendrils loose in front of the ears for some spritely glamour. —Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 18 Feb. 2025

Kravitz wore her brunette tresses in a sleek updo with loose tendrils, while her makeup consisted of beige eye shadow, winged eyeliner and a nude lip. —Hannah Malach, WWD, 12 Mar. 2025

Selena Gomez’s sumptuous updo is framed by full, glossy bohemian bangs slightly separated at the center and giving way to loose, wavy tendrils. —Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 18 Feb. 2025

Inspired by Shoshana Zuboff’s The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, Davidson grapples with the tendrils of Big Tech in songs that play out as a militant techno march interrupted by bursts of pop abandon. —Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 28 Feb. 2025

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