Dictionary

tendril en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈtɛn.dɹəl/

Etymology

From Middle French tendrillon (“bud, shoot, cartilage”), perhaps a diminutive of tendron (“cartilage”), from Old French tendre (“soft”) (see tender (adjective)), or else from Latin tendere (“to stretch, extend”) (see tender (verb)).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Having the shape or properties of a tendril; thin and coiling; entwining.
   • Kissing the tendril fingers - at first because Mina, its mother, did not - but later with a rapture begot by its breath on her breast. 1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 275:

tendril en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈtɛn.dɹəl/

Etymology

From Middle French tendrillon (“bud, shoot, cartilage”), perhaps a diminutive of tendron (“cartilage”), from Old French tendre (“soft”) (see tender (adjective)), or else from Latin tendere (“to stretch, extend”) (see tender (verb)).

Meanings

1. A thin, spirally coiling stem that attaches a plant to its support.
   • The Gourd, / And thirſty Cucumer, vvhen they perceive / Th' approaching Olive, vvith Reſentment fly / Her fatty Fibres, and vvith Tendrils creep / Diverſe, deteſting Contact; […] 1708, [John Philips], “Book I”, in Cyder. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 17:
2. A hair-like tentacle.
3. (broadly) Anything shaped like a tendril or coil.
   • Her blond hair was tied into a half up, half down style with face-framing tendrils. 2025 July 2, Yola Mzizi, “With all eyes on them, a ‘WAG’ style emerges”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

tendrilly · tendrillar · tendrillous · tendrilless · tendrilous · tendril perversion · tendrilled

Synonyms

cirrus

Translations (51)

ga teannóg (thin, spirally coiling stem) · es manecilla (thin, spirally coiling stem) · tr bıyık (thin, spirally coiling stem) · mi ihi (thin, spirally coiling stem) · it cirro (hair-like tentacle) · grc βόστρυχος (thin, spirally coiling stem) · fr cirre (hair-like tentacle) · cy tendril (thin, spirally coiling stem) · mi hihi (thin, spirally coiling stem) · mi tōihi (thin, spirally coiling stem) · hu inda (thin, spirally coiling stem) · et väänel (thin, spirally coiling stem) · pdt Rank (thin, spirally coiling stem) · fi kärhi (thin, spirally coiling stem) · la pampinus (thin, spirally coiling stem) · gl gabián (thin, spirally coiling stem) · ru у́сик (thin, spirally coiling stem) · eo ĉiro (thin, spirally coiling stem) · ro cârcel (thin, spirally coiling stem) · fi korkkiruuvi (hair-like tentacle) · cmn 卷鬚 /卷须 (thin, spirally coiling stem) · ca cirrus (thin, spirally coiling stem) · sv klänge (thin, spirally coiling stem) · kk мұртша (thin, spirally coiling stem) · et köitraag (thin, spirally coiling stem) · cs úponek (thin, spirally coiling stem) · pl kosmyk (hair-like tentacle) · tr asma bıyığı (thin, spirally coiling stem) · gd ògan (thin, spirally coiling stem) · mk витица (thin, spirally coiling stem) · ko 덩굴손 (thin, spirally coiling stem) · sv ranka (thin, spirally coiling stem) · ar مِحْلَاق (thin, spirally coiling stem) · bg филиз (thin, spirally coiling stem) · mi kawekawe (thin, spirally coiling stem) · bg ластар (thin, spirally coiling stem) · pt gavinha (thin, spirally coiling stem) · nl rank (thin, spirally coiling stem) · ca circell (thin, spirally coiling stem) · txb śkwarya (thin, spirally coiling stem) · grc ὄστλιγξ (thin, spirally coiling stem) · es cirro (thin, spirally coiling stem) · it cirro (thin, spirally coiling stem) · de Ranke (thin, spirally coiling stem) · ilo kuriwawet (thin, spirally coiling stem) · ka ულვაშა (thin, spirally coiling stem) · es zarcillo (thin, spirally coiling stem) · ko 덩굴줄기 (thin, spirally coiling stem) · pl wąs (thin, spirally coiling stem) · fr vrille (thin, spirally coiling stem) · sl vitica (thin, spirally coiling stem)