tailpiece

noun

tail·​piece ˈtāl-ˌpēs How to pronounce tailpiece (audio)
1
: a piece added at the end
2
: a device from which the strings of a stringed instrument are stretched to the pegs see violin illustration
3
: an ornament placed below the text matter of a page

Examples of tailpiece in a Sentence

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.
The drummer was pointing his finger at a long-haired guitarist holding a red Gibson ES-335 with a Bigsby tailpiece. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2025 Only a tailpiece from the plane has been found, off the coast of Mozambique. — Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tailpiece was in 1601

Rhymes for tailpiece

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Browse Nearby Words

tail over
tailpiece
tailpin
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Cite this Entry

“Tailpiece.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tailpiece. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

tailpiece

noun
tail·​piece ˈtā(ə)l-ˌpēs How to pronounce tailpiece (audio)
1
: a piece added at the end
2
: a device to which the strings of a stringed instrument are fastened

More from Merriam-Webster on tailpiece

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tailpiece

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