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Glite Dictionary
freetail

freetail

9.9
A small fast bat with a long tail that sticks out and eats insects
  • noun
  • /ˈfriːteɪl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : murciélago de cola libre
  • We spotted a freetail swooping through the evening sky, hunting insects.

Examples

  • The Mexican freetail is one of the most common bats in Texas.

  • Researchers tracked the flight patterns of the freetail to learn about its migration habits.

  • The freetail is known for its speed.

  • Many freetails can be seen at dusk.

  • The Mexican freetail is a small bat that is commonly found in warm regions and is known for its insect-hunting skills.

  • At twilight, we observed a freetail effortlessly catching moths in mid-flight.

  • Researchers studied the freetail population in Texas to understand its role in controlling local insect populations.

Synonyms

free-tailed bat
vsfreetail
1 8.5

A small bat that flies fast, eats insects, and has a tail sticking out past the skin between its wings

has identical meaning but is written as one unhyphenated word
freetailed bat
vsfreetail
  • Specialized
8.8

A small fast bat that eats insects and has a long tail that sticks out past its wing skin

has identical meaning but is the hyphenated spelling alternative

Compounds

Mexican freetail bat
  • US
6.7

A small bat with short soft fur that migrates south in winter in the southern United States and Central America

pocketed freetail bat
  • US
9.9

A small brown bat from California and northern Mexico with pockets near its tail

Surface Forms

freetail singular
freetails plural

Morphology

freetail = free + tail (transparent) = free + tail

A literal compound describing a tail that is free (extends beyond the tail membrane); the meaning follows directly from 'free' + 'tail' though it is a specialised zoological term.

Etymology

Freetail comes from the two simple words free ('not attached') and tail ('the back end of an animal'). It names bats whose tail sticks out past the skin membrane so the tail looks 'free', which helps explain why this fast, insect-eating bat is called a freetail.