Standard Lemma guide

tailfin

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A fin at the tail of a fish, caudal fin

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A fin on the tail of an aircraft, vertical stabilizer

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A fin-like projection at the rear of a car, common on American cars of the 1950s.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: automotive, transport, vehicles

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

one of a pair of decorations projecting above the rear fenders of an automobile

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tail fin, fin

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decoration, ornament, ornamentation

5

noun

Meaning 5

a stabilizer that is part of the vertical tail structure of an airplane

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: vertical stabilizer, vertical stabiliser, vertical fin, tail fin

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: stabilizer

History

Etymology

From tail + fin.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 尾鳍 (wěiqí) — fin at the tail of fish
  • Danish: halefinne — fin at the tail of fish
  • Dutch: staartvin — fin at the tail of fish
  • Finnish: pyrstöevä — fin at the tail of fish
  • Italian: pinna caudale — fin at the tail of fish
  • Japanese: 尾鰭 (obire) — fin at the tail of fish
  • Norwegian Bokmål: halefinne — fin at the tail of fish
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: halefinne — fin at the tail of fish
  • Russian: хвостово́й плавни́к (xvostovój plavník) — fin at the tail of fish
  • Swahili: pezi la mkia — fin at the tail of fish
  • Swedish: stjärtfena — fin at the tail of fish
  • Turkish: kuyruk yüzgeci — fin at the tail of fish
  • Danish: halefinne — fin on the tail of an aircraft
  • Japanese: 垂直尾翼 (suichoku-biyoku) — fin on the tail of an aircraft
  • Norwegian Bokmål: halefinne — fin on the tail of an aircraft
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: halefinne — fin on the tail of an aircraft
  • Russian: киль (kilʹ) — fin on the tail of an aircraft
  • Russian: вертика́льный стабилиза́тор (vertikálʹnyj stabilizátor) — fin on the tail of an aircraft
  • Swedish: stjärtfena — fin on the tail of an aircraft
  • Swedish: stjärtfena — fin like projection at the rear of a car