Word
coattails
Phoneticscoat·tails
US/ˈkoʊtˌteɪɫz/
UK/kˈəʊtteɪlz/
Definitions
01clothing
n. the two long pieces of fabric that hang down from the back of a formal man's jacket.
n. the elongated rear flaps of a formal coat, such as a morning coat or tailcoat, which hang below the waist.
“The groom adjusted his coattails before walking down the aisle in his formal suit.”
“The conductor's coattails swayed rhythmically as he led the orchestra through the final movement of the symphony.”
02metaphorical success
n. the power or success of a famous person that someone else uses to become successful too.
n. the success or influence of a prominent person, used by another to achieve their own goals; most common in the idiom 'on someone's coattails'.
“He didn't have much experience, but he entered office on the governor's coattails.”
“Several junior ministers were accused of riding the prime minister's coattails rather than developing their own policy platforms.”
Informal
Usage
Usually appears in the prepositional phrase 'on someone's coattails'.
Teaching tip
This is frequently used in political contexts to describe a minor candidate winning because of a popular leader's success.
Etymology
From 'coat' + 'tails', referring to the divided back panels of a formal tailcoat that extend behind the wearer. The figurative political sense emerged in 19th-century American English, describing candidates who gained office through association with a more popular leader.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
ride the coattails — To succeed by virtue of association (with).