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…
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…
Here’s the video of the ringtail (cropped).
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.
“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“Here’s the video of the ringtail (cropped).”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
(AU, slang) A ring-in.
Comments
Used in
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "ringtail".
⚡About Tech, Dev & AI slang
The vocabulary of software engineers, AI researchers, and anyone living in a terminal or on GitHub — from LLM to MCP, CORS to vibe coding, agentic to enshittification.
See all Tech, Dev & AI slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "ringtail" (R)
Browse all slang words starting with R.
Related terms
People also read
Semantically related
- bangtail62%
(US) A racehorse.
- silvertail61%
Australian slang for a wealthy, privileged, or upper-class person — someone born into money or at least living the high life with obvious ease. It carries the faint whiff of contempt that often accompanies Australian attitudes toward ostentation and class snobbery. A silvertail drives a flash car, belongs to the right clubs, and wouldn't be caught dead in the wrong suburb. The word has been part of Australian vocabulary since the late 19th century and still surfaces in political commentary and social satire.