tendril

1 of 2

noun

ten·​dril ˈten-drəl How to pronounce tendril (audio)
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 How to pronounce tendril (audio)
tendrilous
ˈten-drə-ləs How to pronounce tendril (audio)
adjective

Illustration of tendril

Illustration of tendril
  • tendril 1

tendriled

2 of 2

adjective

ten·​driled
variants or tendrilled
-ld How to pronounce tendriled (audio)
: 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
Pea shoots are the delicate leaves, stems and tendrils of the snow pea plant. — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 2 June 2026 The 27-year-old styled her hair in a voluminous updo with braids and curly tendrils framing her glam for the evening. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 29 June 2026 Another indicator of ripeness is the tendril (the curling bit of vine), which will turn dry and brown when the melon is ready to harvest. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 May 2026 Her otherwise warm and neutral makeup is given intensity with a wash of forest green across and beyond her lids, where her curly tendrils just happen to hit. — Marci Robin, Allure, 8 June 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

Browse Nearby Words

tendresse
tendril
tendriled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tendril.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tendril. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tendril

noun
ten·​dril ˈten-drəl How to pronounce tendril (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on tendril

Nglish: Translation of tendril for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tendril

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