# dovetail

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈdʌvteɪl/ · frequency rank #57,349

## Definitions
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.

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