tendril

1 of 2

noun

ten·dril ˈten-drəl

: a leaf, stipule, or stem modified into a slender spirally coiling sensitive organ serving to attach a climbing plant to its support

: something suggestive of a tendril

creeping tendrils of fog

tendriled adjective

or tendrilled

ˈten-drəld

tendrilous

ˈten-drə-ləs

adjective

tendriled

2 of 2

adjective

ten·driled

variants or tendrilled

-ld

: having tendrils

Examples of tendril in a Sentence

Noun A few tendrils of hair framed her face.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Noun

The spores attach to the target insect, such as a carpenter ant, and germinate, spreading through the host’s body via long tendrils called mycelia. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026 The Desperate Housewives alum wore her chestnut tresses in a ponytail with loose tendrils framing her face. — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 6 Aug. 2026 Even the exaggerated shoulder straps curve upward into whip-like tendrils. — Marci Robin, Allure, 28 July 2026 The pretty flowers and tendrils can withstand the hot days and thrive with six to eight hours of direct sun. — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tendril

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

probably modification of Middle French tendron bud, cartilage, alteration of Old French tenrum, from Vulgar Latin *tenerumen, from Latin tener tender

First Known Use

Noun

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of tendril was in 1538

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

tendresse

tendril

tendriled

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tendril.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tendril. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tendril

noun

ten·dril ˈten-drəl

: a slender leafless winding stem by which some climbing plants fasten themselves to a support

: something that curls like a tendril

tendrils of hair

tendril

noun

Illustration of tendril

adjective

Examples of tendril in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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