draggle-tailed

/ˈdɹæɡl̩ˌteɪld/

//ˈdɹæɡl̩ˌteɪld// adj

"draggle-tailed" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“draggle-tailed” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
14
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Slatternly, untidy, unkempt.

Key facts for draggle-tailed
PropertyValue
Headworddraggle-tailed
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈdɹæɡl̩ˌteɪld/
Letters14
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “draggle-tailed” sits in English frequency

draggle-tailed falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

draggle-tailed is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈdɹæɡl̩ˌteɪld/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Slatternly, untidy, unkempt.".

No misspelling variants are generated for draggle-tailed in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Taken from draggle (“net drawn along the bottom of the water for fishing”), this was originally applied to women whose dresses dragged along the ground behind them. The correct English form is draggle-tailed, spelled D-R-A-G-G-L-E---T-A-I-L-E-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Slatternly, untidy, unkempt.

Etymology

Taken from draggle (“net drawn along the bottom of the water for fishing”), this was originally applied to women whose dresses dragged along the ground behind them.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "draggle-tailed"?
"draggle-tailed" is spelled D-R-A-G-G-L-E---T-A-I-L-E-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɹæɡl̩ˌteɪld/.
What does "draggle-tailed" mean?
As an adjective, "draggle-tailed" means: Slatternly, untidy, unkempt.
How do you pronounce "draggle-tailed"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "draggle-tailed" is /ˈdɹæɡl̩ˌteɪld/. 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 "draggle-tailed"?
Taken from draggle (“net drawn along the bottom of the water for fishing”), this was originally applied to women whose dresses dragged along the ground behind them. 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 “draggle-tailed”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-R-A-G-G-L-E---T-A-I-L-E-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdɹæɡl̩ˌteɪld/ (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
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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list