bobtail
noun /ˈbɒbteɪl/
/ˈbɑːbteɪl/
- a dog, cat or horse with a tail that has been cut short
- a tail that has been cut short
Word Originmid 16th cent.: probably from bob ‘ the short hairstyle’ + tail. It was originally recorded as a humorous term for a kind of broad-headed arrow, probably because it looked as though it had been cut short.