Fluke vs. Tail — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 9, 2024
A fluke generally refers to the triangular-shaped tail fins of cetaceans like whales, used for propulsion, whereas a tail can refer to the rear appendage of various animals, serving multiple functions from balance to communication.
Difference Between Fluke and Tail
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A fluke is specific to marine mammals such as whales and dolphins, characterized by its horizontal plane and distinct V-shape, which aids in their powerful vertical swimming motion. In contrast, tails are found in a wide range of animals, including mammals, reptiles, and birds, varying greatly in shape, size, and function.
While the fluke is primarily used for propulsion, helping cetaceans to navigate and accelerate in water, tails serve a variety of purposes such as balance in arboreal creatures, communication in canines, and as a rudder in aquatic species.
Flukes are composed of tough, fibrous connective tissues without bones, supporting their movement through dense aquatic environments. On the other hand, most animal tails have a skeletal structure, with vertebrae that support the tail’s flexibility and movement.
The design of the fluke allows for efficient movement through water, making it an essential feature for diving, turning, and stopping. Meanwhile, tails can be prehensile, used for grasping or holding objects, and can even store fats, as seen in some desert-dwelling species.
In terms of evolution, the fluke has evolved specifically for aquatic life, showcasing a remarkable adaptation to marine environments. Tails, however, have evolved differently across various species to suit terrestrial, arboreal, or aquatic life, illustrating a broader range of evolutionary adaptations.
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Comparison Chart
Found in
Marine mammals like whales and dolphins
Various animals including mammals and birds
Main Function
Propulsion in water
Varies: balance, communication, manipulation
Composition
Fibrous connective tissues, no bones
Usually has a skeletal structure
Plane of Motion
Horizontal
Typically vertical, varies with species
Evolutionary Role
Adaptation to aquatic life
Diverse adaptations to different environments
Compare with Definitions
Fluke
In pathology, a term for a type of parasitic flatworm.
Liver flukes infect the liver of various mammals.
Tail
Refers to someone secretly following another to spy on them.
The detective decided to tail the suspect.
Fluke
The term also refers to a lucky or improbable occurrence, often with significant consequences.
Winning the lottery was a fluke.
Tail
Used metaphorically to refer to the end or last part of something.
We caught the tail end of the show.
Fluke
Used in the context of a tool or device with prongs, which stabilizes or anchors.
The anchor's fluke dug into the seabed.
Tail
The rear part of an animal’s body, extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body.
The dog wagged its tail excitedly.
Fluke
A chance hit in sports, often unintentional.
His winning shot was a fluke that barely made it.
Tail
In cooking, refers to the tail of certain seafood.
Lobster tails are considered a delicacy.
Fluke
A type of fin located at the tail of cetaceans used for propelling through water.
The whale lifted its fluke out of the water before diving.
Tail
In aeronautics, the tail is the rear part of an aircraft, which stabilizes and steers the flight.
The plane's tail was painted with the airline's logo.
Fluke
An unlikely chance occurrence, especially a surprising piece of luck
Their victory was a bit of a fluke
Tail
The tail is the section at the rear end of certain kinds of animals’ bodies; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds.
Fluke
A parasitic flatworm which typically has suckers and hooks for attachment to the host. Some species are of veterinary or medical importance.
Tail
The hindmost part of an animal, especially when prolonged beyond the rest of the body, such as the flexible extension of the backbone in a vertebrate, the feathers at the hind end of a bird, or a terminal appendage in an insect
The dog's tail began to wag frantically
Fluke
A flatfish, especially a flounder.
Tail
A thing resembling an animal's tail in its shape or position, typically extending downwards or outwards at the end of something
The tail of a capital Q
Fluke
A broad triangular plate on the arm of an anchor.
Tail
The end of a long train or line of people or vehicles
A catering truck at the tail of the convoy
Fluke
Either of the lobes of a whale's tail.
Tail
A person secretly following another to observe their movements
I can't put a tail on him, I don't know where he's gone
Fluke
Achieve (something) by luck rather than skill.
Tail
A person's buttocks
The coach kicked Ryan in his tail
Fluke
Any of numerous parasitic flatworms, including the trematodes, some of which infect humans, and the monogeneans, which are chiefly ectoparasites of fish.
Tail
The side of a coin without the image of a head on it (used when tossing a coin to determine a winner)
The chances of heads and tails in the long run are equal
Fluke
Any of various flatfishes chiefly of the genus Paralichthys, especially the summer flounder.
Tail
Limitation of ownership, especially of an estate or title limited to a person and their direct descendants
The land was held in tail general
Fluke
(Nautical) The triangular blade at the end of an arm of an anchor, designed to catch in the ground.
Tail
Follow and observe (someone) closely, especially in secret
A flock of paparazzi had tailed them all over London
Fluke
A barb or barbed head, as on an arrow or a harpoon.
Tail
(of an object in flight) drift or curve in a particular direction
The next pitch tailed in on me at the last second
Fluke
Either of the two horizontally flattened divisions of the tail of a whale.
Tail
Remove the stalks or ends of (fruit or vegetables) in preparation for cooking.
Fluke
A chance occurrence
That spring snowstorm was a total fluke.
Tail
Pull on the end of (a rope) after it has been wrapped round the drum of a winch a few times, in order to prevent slipping when the winch rotates.
Fluke
(Games) An accidentally good or successful stroke in billiards or pool.
Tail
Join (one thing) to another.
Fluke
A lucky or improbable occurrence, with the implication that the occurrence could not be repeated.
The first goal was just a fluke.
Tail
Provide with a tail
Her calligraphy was topped by banners of black ink and tailed like the haunches of fabulous beasts
Fluke
A flounder.
Tail
The posterior part of an animal, especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body.
Fluke
A trematode; a parasitic flatworm of the Trematoda class, related to the tapeworm.
The man had become infected with flukes after eating a meal of raw fish.
Tail
The lowest part of a garment such as a shirt or coat.
Fluke
Either of the two lobes of a whale's or similar creature's tail.
The dolphin had an open wound on the left fluke of its tail where the propeller had injured it.
Tail
The rear end of an automobile or other vehicle.
Fluke
(nautical) Any of the triangular blades at the end of an anchor, designed to catch the ground.
The fluke of the anchor was wedged between two outcroppings of rock and could not be dislodged.
Tail
The rear portion of the fuselage of an aircraft or the assembly of stabilizing planes and control surfaces in this portion.
Fluke
A metal hook on the head of certain staff weapons (such as a bill), made in various forms depending on function, whether used for grappling or to penetrate armour when swung at an opponent.
The polearm had a wide, sharpened fluke attached to the central point.
Tail
The vaned rear portion of a bomb or missile.
Fluke
In general, a winglike formation on a central piece.
After casting the bronze statue, we filed down the flukes and spurs from the molding process.
Tail
A long thin part on some kites that hangs down below the part that catches the wind to provide stability.
Fluke
Waste cotton.
Tail
The long stream of gas and dust that is illuminated and directed away from the head of a comet when it is close to the sun.
Fluke
To obtain a successful outcome by pure chance.
I fluked a pass in the multiple-choice exam.
Tail
A braid of hair; a pigtail.
Fluke
(snooker) To fortuitously pot a ball in an unintended way.
He fluked the other red into the middle pocket, despite the double kiss.
Tail
A train of followers; a retinue.
Fluke
The European flounder. See Flounder.
Tail
The end of a line of persons or things.
Fluke
Any American flounder of the genus Paralichthys, especially Paralicthys dentatus, found in the Atlantic Ocean and in adjacent bays.
Tail
The short closing line of certain stanzas of verse.
Fluke
A parasitic trematode worm of several species, having a flat, lanceolate body and two suckers. Two species (Fasciola hepatica and Distoma lanceolatum) are found in the livers of sheep, and produce the disease called rot.
Tail
The refuse or dross remaining from processes such as distilling or milling.
Fluke
The part of an anchor which fastens in the ground; a flook. See Anchor.
Tail
A formal evening costume typically worn by men.
Fluke
One of the lobes of a whale's tail, so called from the resemblance to the fluke of an anchor.
Tail
A tailcoat.
Fluke
An instrument for cleaning out a hole drilled in stone for blasting.
Tail
Often tails (used with a sing. verb) The side of a coin not having the principal design.
Fluke
An accidental and favorable stroke at billiards (called a scratch in the United States); hence, any accidental or unexpected advantage; as, he won by a fluke.
Tail
The trail of a person or animal in flight
The police were on the bank robber's tail.
Fluke
To get or score by a fluke; as, to fluke a play in billiards.
Tail
A person assigned or employed to follow and report on someone else's movements and actions
The police put a tail on the suspected drug dealer.
Fluke
A stroke of luck
Tail
(Slang) The buttocks.
Fluke
A barb on a harpoon or arrow
Tail
Limitation of the inheritance of an estate to a particular person and that person's heirs.
Fluke
Flat blade-like projection on the arm of an anchor
Tail
Of or relating to a tail or tails
Tail feathers.
Fluke
Either of the two lobes of the tail of a cetacean
Tail
Situated in the tail, as of an airplane
A tail gunner.
Fluke
Parasitic flatworms having external suckers for attaching to a host
Tail
Being in tail
A tail estate.
Tail
To provide with a tail
Tail a kite.
Tail
To deprive of a tail; dock.
Tail
To serve as the tail or last part of
The Santa Claus float tailed the parade.
Tail
To connect (often dissimilar or incongruous objects) by the tail or end
Tail two ideas together.
Tail
To set one end of (a beam, board, or brick) into a wall.
Tail
(Informal) To follow and keep (a person) under surveillance.
Tail
To become lengthened or spaced when moving in a line
The patrol tailed out in pairs.
Tail
To be inserted at one end into a wall, as a floor timber or beam.
Tail
(Informal) To follow
Tailed after the leader.
Tail
To go aground with the stern foremost.
Tail
To lie or swing with the stern in a named direction, as when riding at anchor or on a mooring.
Tail
(Sports) To veer from a straight course in the direction of the dominant hand of the player propelling the ball
A pitch that tails away from the batter.
Tail
(anatomy) The caudal appendage of an animal that is attached to its posterior and near the anus.
Most primates have a tail and fangs.
Tail
An object or part of an object resembling a tail in shape, such as the thongs on a cat-o'-nine-tails.
Tail
The back, last, lower, or inferior part of anything.
Tail
The feathers attached to the pygostyle of a bird.
Tail
The tail-end of an object, e.g. the rear of an aircraft's fuselage, containing the tailfin.
Tail
The rear structure of an aircraft, the empennage.
Tail
(astronomy) The visible stream of dust and gases blown from a comet by the solar wind.
Tail
The latter part of a time period or event, or (collectively) persons or objects represented in this part.
Tail
(statistics) The part of a distribution most distant from the mode; as, a long tail.
Tail
One who surreptitiously follows another.
Tail
(cricket) The lower order of batsmen in the batting order, usually specialist bowlers.
Tail
(typography) The lower loop of the letters in the Roman alphabet, as in g, q or y.
Tail
The side of a coin not bearing the head; normally the side on which the monetary value of the coin is indicated; the reverse.
Tail
(mathematics) All the last terms of a sequence, from some term on.
A sequence is said to be frequently if every tail of the sequence contains .
Tail
The buttocks or backside.
Tail
(kayaking) The stern; the back of the kayak.
Tail
A train or company of attendants; a retinue.
Tail
(anatomy) The distal tendon of a muscle.
Tail
(entomology) A filamentous projection on the tornal section of each hind wing of certain butterflies.
Tail
A downy or feathery appendage of certain achens, formed of the permanent elongated style.
Tail
(surgery) A portion of an incision, at its beginning or end, which does not go through the whole thickness of the skin, and is more painful than a complete incision; called also tailing.
Tail
One of the strips at the end of a bandage formed by splitting the bandage one or more times.
Tail
(nautical) A rope spliced to the strap of a block, by which it may be lashed to anything.
Tail
(music) The part of a note which runs perpendicularly upward or downward from the head; the stem.
Tail
(mining) A tailing.
Tail
(architecture) The bottom or lower portion of a member or part such as a slate or tile.
Tail
A tailcoat.
Tail
(electrical engineering) pigtail
Tail
(legal) Limitation of inheritance to certain heirs.
Tail male — limitation to male heirs
In tail — subject to such a limitation
Tail
(transitive) To follow and observe surreptitiously.
Tail that car!
Tail
(architecture) To hold by the end; said of a timber when it rests upon a wall or other support; with in or into
Tail
(nautical) To swing with the stern in a certain direction; said of a vessel at anchor.
This vessel tails downstream.
Tail
To follow or hang to, like a tail; to be attached closely to, as that which can not be evaded.
Tail
To pull or draw by the tail.
Tail
(legal) Limited; abridged; reduced; curtailed.
Estate tail
Tail
Limitation; abridgment.
Tail
The terminal, and usually flexible, posterior appendage of an animal.
Tail
Any long, flexible terminal appendage; whatever resembles, in shape or position, the tail of an animal, as a catkin.
Doretus writes a great praise of the distilled waters of those tails that hang on willow trees.
Tail
Hence, the back, last, lower, or inferior part of anything, - as opposed to the head, or the superior part.
The Lord will make thee the head, and not the tail.
Tail
A train or company of attendants; a retinue.
"Ah," said he, "if you saw but the chief with his tail on."
Tail
The side of a coin opposite to that which bears the head, effigy, or date; the reverse; - rarely used except in the expression "heads or tails," employed when a coin is thrown up for the purpose of deciding some point by its fall.
Tail
The distal tendon of a muscle.
Tail
A downy or feathery appendage to certain achenes. It is formed of the permanent elongated style.
Tail
A portion of an incision, at its beginning or end, which does not go through the whole thickness of the skin, and is more painful than a complete incision; - called also tailing.
Tail
A rope spliced to the strap of a block, by which it may be lashed to anything.
Tail
The part of a note which runs perpendicularly upward or downward from the head; the stem.
Tail
Same as Tailing, 4.
Tail
The bottom or lower portion of a member or part, as a slate or tile.
Tail
The long visible stream of gases, ions, or dust particles extending from the head of a comet in the direction opposite to the sun.
Tail
In some forms of rope-laying machine, pieces of rope attached to the iron bar passing through the grooven wooden top containing the strands, for wrapping around the rope to be laid.
Tail
A tailed coat; a tail coat.
Tail
In airplanes, an airfoil or group of airfoils used at the rear to confer stability.
Tail
The buttocks.
Tail
Limited; abridged; reduced; curtailed; as, estate tail.
Tail
To follow or hang to, like a tail; to be attached closely to, as that which can not be evaded.
Nevertheless his bond of two thousand pounds, wherewith he was tailed, continued uncanceled, and was called on the next Parliament.
Tail
To pull or draw by the tail.
Tail
To hold by the end; - said of a timber when it rests upon a wall or other support; - with in or into.
Tail
To swing with the stern in a certain direction; - said of a vessel at anchor; as, this vessel tails down stream.
Tail
The posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
Tail
The time of the last part of something;
The fag end of this crisis-ridden century
The tail of the storm
Tail
Any projection that resembles the tail of an animal
Tail
The fleshy part of the human body that you sit on;
He deserves a good kick in the butt
Are you going to sit on your fanny and do nothing?
Tail
A spy employed to follow someone and report their movements
Tail
(usually plural) the reverse side of a coin that does not bear the representation of a person's head
Tail
The rear part of an aircraft
Tail
The rear part of a ship
Tail
Go after with the intent to catch;
The policeman chased the mugger down the alley
The dog chased the rabbit
Tail
Remove or shorten the tail of an animal
Tail
Remove the stalk of fruits or berries
Common Curiosities
Can all animals with tails use them for balance?
Not all, but many animals use tails for balance, especially arboreal and bipedal species.
What are some other uses of animal tails?
Tails are used for communication, as rudders in swimming, for warmth, and as storage for fats.
How do flukes aid marine mammals?
Flukes help in propulsion, diving, and maneuvering through water.
What is a fluke?
A fluke is the triangular-shaped tail fin of certain marine mammals, such as whales, used for propulsion.
Are flukes made of bone?
No, flukes consist of fibrous connective tissues without bones.
What evolutionary advantage does a fluke provide?
The fluke's design is highly efficient for swimming, aiding in deep diving and agile movement in water.
Are tails important for communication?
Yes, many animals use their tails to signal emotions and intentions to others, such as danger or mating readiness.
What is a tail?
A tail is the rear part of an animal’s body, which extends beyond the main part of the body.
How does the structure of a fluke differ from typical fish tails?
Flukes are horizontal and lack vertebrae, unlike the vertical and often bony tails of fish.
Do tails have bones?
Most animal tails have a skeletal structure composed of vertebrae, except in some cases like certain fish.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
