# curtail

> English word · Verb · IPA /kɜːˈteɪl/ · frequency rank #29,620

## Definitions
1. To cut short the tail of (an animal).
2. To shorten or abridge the duration of; to bring an end to; to truncate.
3. To limit or restrict; to keep in check.

## Etymology
Alteration of curtal, from Old French courtault (“which has been shortened”), itself from court (“short”) (from Latin curtus) + -ault

## Easily confused with
- **Curtis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/curtail-vs-curtis)
- **Curtin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/curtail-vs-curtin)
- **curtain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/curtail-vs-curtain)
- **curtains** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/curtail-vs-curtains)
- **certain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/certain-vs-curtail)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ccurtail`, `crutail`, `curatil`, `currtail`, `curtaill`, `curtali`, `curtial`, `curttail`, `cutrail`, `ucrtail`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/curtail