pigtail

[pig-teyl] /ˈpɪgˌteɪl/
noun
1.
a braid of hair hanging down the back of the head.
2.
tobacco in a thin, twisted roll.
3.
Electricity.
  1. a short, flexible wire used in connecting a stationary terminal with a terminal having a limited range of motion.
  2. a short wire connected to an electric device, as a lead or ground.
Origin
1680-90; pig1 + tail1
Examples from the web for pigtail
  • They had run an experiment to record electrical activity from neurons specialized for hand movement in two pigtail macaques.
British Dictionary definitions for pigtail

pigtail

/ˈpɪɡˌteɪl/
noun
1.
a bunch of hair or one of two bunches on either side of the face, worn loose or plaited
2.
a twisted roll of tobacco
Derived Forms
pigtailed, adjective
Word Origin and History for pigtail
n.

1680s, "tobacco in a twisted roll," from pig (n.) + tail (n.). So called from resemblance. Meaning "braid of hair" is from 1753, when it was a fashion among soldiers and sailors. Applied variously to other objects or parts thought to resemble this in appearance.