ringtail
A word with several distinct meanings depending on context.
Seen in the wild
#climatechange Last Saturday in autumn 🍂 we had an uncharacteristic 28⁰C hence this over heated male ringtail Possum dropping his goolies.. trying to cool down Tonight we have hail and gales & heater on .. #Aust…
Here’s the video of the ringtail (cropped).
A cute ringtail girl it is! I'd settled on mink as an alternative, but she hasn't appeared yet so it's easily changed. Thanks for the inspiration; each time I read one of your stories it always gives me a surge of cre…
Definitions
A word with several distinct meanings depending on context. In Australian slang, a 'ringtail' is a ring-in — a substitute or imposter, especially a horse or competitor fraudulently entered under a false identity in a race. It also refers to ring-tailed animals like the ringtail possum, common in Australian backyards. In nautical usage, a ringtail is a type of supplementary sail. The Australian slang meaning is the sharpest: calling something a ringtail implies deception, switching out the real thing for a fake.
Everyone in the paddock suspected the grey horse was a ringtail — it ran way too fast for a supposed maiden.
Comments
A ring-tailed animal, notably.
"ringtail" means: A ring-tailed animal, notably.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
"ringtail" means: A ring-tailed animal, notably.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
“#climatechange Last Saturday in autumn 🍂 we had an uncharacteristic 28⁰C hence this over heated male ringtail Possum dropping his goolies.. trying to cool down Tonight we have hail and gales & heater on .. #Australia #swvic”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
(nautical) A ringsail.
“Here’s the video of the ringtail (cropped).”
— Bluesky· May 2026“A cute ringtail girl it is! I'd settled on mink as an alternative, but she hasn't appeared yet so it's easily changed. Thanks for the inspiration; each time I read one of your stories it always gives me a surge of creativity. I'll let you know if it eventually bears fruit!”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
(AU, slang) A ring-in.
Comments
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