“Tail” or “Tale”—Which to use?

“Tail” or “Tale”

Overview

tail / tale are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term. 👇

Definitions

tail: (noun) the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body. (noun) any projection that resembles the tail of an animal. (noun) a spy employed to follow someone and report their movements. (noun) (usually plural) the reverse side of a coin that does not bear the representation of a person's head. (noun) the rear part of an aircraft. (verb) remove the stalk of fruits or berries.

tale: NA

Pronunciation

tail: t·EY·l

tale: t·EY·l

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Examples in Context

Examples of “tail”

The wings and tail surfaces are covered in Dacron…
If I Had a Tail
…and rear end of fuselage), tail surfaces, and doors.
…in that he retains his tail, which he can utilize as…
…has very large wing and tail surfaces to allow a stretch…
…encouraging them to attack the tail rather than the head end.
…at the base of the tail.
…appear to almost lack a tail, as their tail rectrices are…
…mysterious man with a scorpion-like tail that can conjure a poison…
…the ability to wrap his tail around his leg to unleash…

Examples of “tale”

…solitary fairy, but in fairy tale literature he is a member…
Ef: The First Tale.
…Grey Mouse: A Trinity College Tale depicts Carmilla and Dracula as…
…describes as "an age-old cautionary tale of the privatization of a…
…Private Profit - A Cautionary Tale tells the story of the…
Unlike a tale of Lovecraftian horror, however, the…
Ef: The Latter Tale.
Segment 5: Fairy Tale
The tale of Airlangga's life was illustrated…
It is a "gruelling cruel tale" from the Edo period.

(Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions drawn from WordNet.)

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