Dovetail
/ˈdʌv.teɪl/noun
A joint in woodworking made by interlocking wedge-shaped projections, or a close fitting connection between things.
Did you know?The woodworking sense is a metaphor from the fan-shaped tail of a dove, so the word’s power comes from nature’s own geometry rather than any occult origin.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
dūfe
“dove, pigeon”
Middle English
ME
dovetail
“a dove’s tail, or something shaped like one”
17th Century
English
dovetail
“a woodworking joint shaped like a dove’s tail”
Modern English
English
dovetail
“to fit together closely or a joint with interlocking wedge-shaped parts”