dovetail

Name: dovetail, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈdʌvteɪl/

//ˈdʌvteɪl// noun

By PlainSpell · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“dovetail” is uncommon English (frequency #57,349 among 26,416 “D” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#57,349
frequency rank, English: 26,416
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The tail of a dove (family Columbidae); also, something having the shape of a dove's tail.

Key facts for dovetail
Property	Value
Headword	dovetail
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈdʌvteɪl/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#57,349
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “dovetail” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). dovetail lands here:

#57,349

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

dovetail is uncommon English at frequency #57,349 among 26,416 “D” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈdʌvteɪl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for dovetail, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: The noun is derived from dove + tail. The verb is derived from the noun. The correct English form is dovetail, spelled D-O-V-E-T-A-I-L.

Definition

1
The tail of a dove (family Columbidae); also, something having the shape of a dove's tail.
2
In full dovetail joint: a type of joint where adjoining components are fastened by multiple tenons cut into wedge shapes resembling a dove's tail, which interlock with mortises having corresponding shapes.
3
A tenon cut into a wedge shape resembling a dove's tail so that it interlocks with a mortise having a corresponding shape in a dovetail joint.
4
A line resembling a dovetail joint (sense 2.1).

Etymology

The noun is derived from dove + tail. The verb is derived from the noun.

This word in other languages

queue-d'aronde(Français)Schwalbenschwanz(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "dovetail"?

"dovetail" is spelled D-O-V-E-T-A-I-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdʌvteɪl/.

What does "dovetail" mean?

As a noun, "dovetail" means: The tail of a dove (family Columbidae); also, something having the shape of a dove's tail.

How do you pronounce "dovetail"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dovetail" is /ˈdʌvteɪl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "dovetail"?

The noun is derived from dove + tail. The verb is derived from the noun. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “dovetail”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is D-O-V-E-T-A-I-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈdʌvteɪl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.