What does foxtail mean?
Foxtail is a noun naming any of several grasses whose dense, cylindrical flower spikes are bristled like the bushy tail of a fox. The most familiar belong to the genus Setaria, including green foxtail, yellow foxtail, and giant foxtail, though related species such as foxtail barley share the same distinctive shape. The word can also literally denote the tail of a fox itself, though this sense is now far less common than the botanical one. Agriculturally, foxtails matter in two very different ways: foxtail millet (Setaria italica) has been cultivated as a grain crop for thousands of years, while wild foxtail species rank among the world's more troublesome weeds, competing with crops and infesting pastures. For pet owners, foxtail carries a further warning — the grass's barbed seed heads can burrow into fur, ears, and skin, making the word a familiar term of caution among veterinarians and dog owners alike.
Any of various grasses, especially of the genus Setaria, with dense cylindrical bristly flower spikes resembling a fox's tail.
"The roadside verge was overrun with foxtail by late August."
Most commonly encountered today in botanical, agricultural, and veterinary contexts.
The bushy tail of a fox.
"A foxtail was once a fashionable trimming for riding habits."
This older sense survives chiefly in historical or literary contexts.
Regular plural; commonly used when referring collectively to foxtail grasses or their seed heads.
"The field was dotted with foxtails waving in the wind."
Farmers dread it, dogs avoid sniffing it, and yet the humble foxtail grass has hitchhiked across continents by clinging to animal fur — just like a real fox's brush.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of foxtail
The word foxtail is a straightforward English compound formed from 'fox' and 'tail', coined because the plant's dense, bristled flower head strikingly resembles a fox's bushy tail. It arose in English through descriptive naming of plants and has been applied to several unrelated grass genera that share the same visual character. Related compounds built on the same root include foxglove, foxhound, and foxy, all deriving ultimately from the Old English word 'fox'.
Related word forms
How foxtail is actually used
In modern usage, 'foxtail' almost always refers to the grass rather than the animal's tail. In agricultural and veterinary contexts, foxtail grasses are notable as weeds and as hazards, since their barbed seed awns can work into the skin, ears, or paws of pets and livestock.
Easily confused with foxtail
Foxtrot is a ballroom dance named partly for a similar 'fox' association, whereas foxtail refers to either a fox's actual tail or a type of bristled grass.