Etymology From Middle French tendrillon (“bud, shoot, cartilage”), perhaps a diminutive of tendron (“cartilage”), from Old French tendre (“soft”) (see tender (adjective)), or else from Latin tendere (“to stretch, extend”) (see tender (verb)).
1
Biology, Botany, Natural sciences A thin, spirally coiling stem that attaches a plant to its support.
The Gourd, / And thirſty Cucumer, vvhen they perceive / Th' approaching Olive, vvith Reſentment fly / Her fatty Fibres, and vvith Tendrils creep / Diverſe, deteſting Contact; […]1708, [John Philips], “Book I”, in Cyder. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 17:
2
Biology, Natural sciences, Zoology A hair-like tentacle.
3
Broadly Anything shaped like a tendril or coil.
Her blond hair was tied into a half up, half down style with face-framing tendrils.2025 July 2, Yola Mzizi, “With all eyes on them, a ‘WAG’ style emerges”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
Etymology From Middle French tendrillon (“bud, shoot, cartilage”), perhaps a diminutive of tendron (“cartilage”), from Old French tendre (“soft”) (see tender (adjective)), or else from Latin tendere (“to stretch, extend”) (see tender (verb)).
1
Having the shape or properties of a tendril; thin and coiling; entwining.
Kissing the tendril fingers - at first because Mina, its mother, did not - but later with a rapture begot by its breath on her breast.1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 275: