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Glite Dictionary
👕 Lower shirt part 📝 Extra note
shirttail

shirttail

8.3
A short note added to the end of a newspaper article
  • noun
  • /ˈʃɜrˌteɪl/
  • Archaic
translation icon : nota al pie
  • Sometimes, a shirttail provides context that didn't fit in the main body of the piece.

Examples

  • The article ended with a brief shirttail about the author's background.

  • After the main article, there was a brief shirttail explaining why the event was significant.

  • Please check if there is a shirttail before sending the article to print.

  • The editor added a shirttail to the story clarifying a minor detail.

  • Did you read the shirttail at the end of that article?

  • The journalist included a shirttail at the end of the piece to express her personal thoughts.

  • In the shirttail of the report, readers found extra details that clarified the main story.

Synonyms

addendum
vsshirttail
16 7.1

A short section at the end of a book or report with extra information

is a brief closing note in a newspaper article rather than a full section
afterword
vsshirttail
3 4.6

A short section at the end of a book with final comments by the author or another person

is a short closing remark in a newspaper article rather than a book section
sidenote
vsshirttail
3 4.0

A short comment added to the main talk or text

is a short final note placed at the end of a newspaper article
endnote
vsshirttail
  • Specialized
2 3.9

A note at the end of a book or article that gives extra information and shows sources

is a short final comment in a newspaper article rather than a reference note

Surface Forms

shirttail singular
shirttails plural

Morphology

shirttail = shirt + tail (semi-transparent) = shirt + tail

The compound structure is clear, but the specialized newspaper meaning ('a short concluding note') is a metaphorical extension and not immediately obvious to all learners.

Etymology

The word shirttail is also used for a short note at the 'end' of a newspaper article because it 'hangs' there like the tail of a shirt. That's why a shirttail in a newspaper is a small extra note that follows the main story.