Curtal

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈkəːtÉ™l/

Origin

From French courtault (now courtaud), from court ‘short’ + -ault pejorative suffix.

Full definition of curtal

Noun

1. (historical) A variety of short-barrelled cannon.
2. (obsolete) A horse or other animal having a docked tail.
3. (music) An early type of bassoon.

Adjective

1. (obsolete) Of horses, having a docked tail.
2. (now rare) Physically shortened; short.
• 1969, Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor, Penguin 2011, p. 98:she had loosened her hair and changed into the curtal frock of sunbright cotton that he was so fond of and had so ardently yearned to soil in the so recent past.
3. (obsolete) Abridged, curtailed.
• MiltonEssays and curtal aphorisms.

Derived terms

• curtal friar