What does pigtail mean?
A pigtail is a braid or lock of hair tied at the end in a way that resembles a pig’s curly tail. The term can describe a single braid, a hairstyle, or, in technical contexts, a thin twisted strand or flexible electrical lead. As a verb, “pigtail” means to braid or arrange hair in this style. The word is familiar in British and American English, where it may evoke schoolchildren, dancers, or a traditional hairstyle, although it can also sound more old-fashioned than “ponytail.” Outside discussions of hair, “pigtail” is used in electrical and mechanical settings to describe a short, twisted or braided section attached to a larger component. Its distinctive imagery makes it useful whenever precision about the shape or arrangement of a braid or strand matters.
A braid or lock of hair tied at the end, usually hanging from the side or back of the head. By extension, it can mean a thin twisted strand or flexible electrical lead.
"Her pigtail hung over one shoulder as she read."
The technical sense, especially for electrical wiring, is common in specialist and technical English.
To braid or arrange hair into a pigtail.
"She pigtailed her hair before going out."
Less common than the noun and often used in descriptions of hairstyles or past routines.
The standard plural is “pigtails,” used for multiple braids or locks of hair.
"The dancers wore long pigtails for the performance."
Pigtail turns a simple hairstyle into a miniature image of a pig’s curly tail—and the same word can describe the twisted wire lead at the end of an electrical connection.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pigtail come from?
The word is a compound of “pig” and “tail,” referring to the characteristic curled tail of a pig. Its development reflects the familiar tendency of English to name shapes and arrangements after familiar animals, using the pig’s tail as a visual model for a small curled or braided form. The compound underlies both the hair sense and the later technical sense of a twisted strand or lead.
Related word forms
How pigtail is actually used
As a hairstyle, “pigtail” is common in both British and American English and may sound more traditional or youthful than “ponytail.” In technical usage, it usually refers to a short flexible wire or cable lead rather than hair.
Easily confused with pigtail
A pigtail is generally a braid that hangs from the side or back of the head, whereas a ponytail is usually hair gathered and tied at the back of the head.
A braid is the general term for interwoven strands of hair, while a pigtail specifically refers to a braid arranged or tied in the characteristic pigtail style.