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
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As with grass, only offer roots from plants that have not been treated with fertilizers or pesticides. Milkweed Fibers and Cattail Fluff: American goldfinch, Baltimore orioles, and Eastern kingbirds will line their nests with milkweed silk and cattail fluff. Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Mar. 2025 Ponda spoke with a person from upstate New York who can confer acreage for growing cattails that can rewet the land, draw down carbon and offer an alternative to conventional polyfill. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019 The man dragged the lifeless woman to a tree surrounded by high cattails and covered her in a quilt. Lizz Schumer, People.com, 29 Dec. 2024 Ingredients include wild game like boar, pheasant, and venison, plus foraged botanicals such as pine, cattail, and Saskatoon berries. Nicholas Derenzo, AFAR Media, 27 Dec. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Cattail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cattail. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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

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