🐾 A short tail ✂️ Having short tail 🐶 A sheepdog

bobtail

1 7.7

A short tail on an animal that is natural or cut short

noun
/ˈbɑːbˌteɪl/

: cola corta

The bobtail of the rabbit is much less prominent than its long ears.

Examples

The bobtail of the dog was noticeably shorter than that of other breeds.
♪ Bells on bobtail ring

Daddy's Home 2 (2017)
Many cats, like the Japanese bobtail, are known for their unique short tails.

Synonyms

bob

vsbobtail

1 8.2

A short tail on some animals, often on dogs or horses

is used for any short tail whether natural or made by cutting

dock

vsbobtail

1 7.9

The short, solid part at the end of a horse's or dog's tail

focuses on the short tail itself rather than the tail part

Idioms

ragtag and bobtail

Offensive

9.9

A mixed group of ordinary people who seem unimportant

How Short

tailless

1 3.9

bobtail

1 7.7

long tail

2 3.3

Surface Forms

bobtail singular

bobtails plural

Morphology

bobtail = bob + tail (semi-transparent) = bob + tail

While the components 'bob' and 'tail' are clear, the specific meaning of a 'shortened tail' is not directly derivable from the components alone.

Etymology

Bobtail comes from the parts bob and tail, where bob meant 'short' or 'cut off', like a bob haircut that is kept short. So a bobtail is a short or shortened tail.