tendril

noun

ten·​dril ˈten-drəl 

1

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

2

: something suggestive of a tendril

creeping tendrils of fog

tendriled adjective

or tendrilled

ˈten-drəld 

tendrilous

ˈten-drə-ləs 

adjective

Illustration of tendril

• tendril 1

Examples of tendril in a Sentence

A few tendrils of hair framed her face.

Recent Examples on the Web

Her hair was teased in true Teresa fashion, with a big messy bun and face-framing tendrils. —Rachel Raposas, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024

Knotless boho styles, with their tendrils and curls, have ruled the category over recent years thanks to their floaty and ethereal look. —Jessica Fields, Essence, 17 Oct. 2024

For their first record together in 13 years, Mark Clifford and Sarah Peacock laid down six simmering tracks that layer decaying distortion, sticky drum pads, sonic boom bass, and vocal melodies pinched and pulled into taffy-soft tendrils. —Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 4 Dec. 2024

So Blain-Cruz’s stage—lushly designed by Adam Rigg with tendrils of Spanish moss and a wraparound coastal pool—is set for a showdown as surely as if there were tumbleweeds blowing across it. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably modification of Middle French tendron bud, cartilage, alteration of Old French tenrum, from Vulgar Latin *tenerumen, from Latin tener tender — more at tender entry 1

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

tendril

noun

ten·​dril ˈten-drəl 

1

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

2

: something that curls like a tendril

tendrils of hair