I. ˈkäk-ˌtāl noun
Etymology: probably from cock (I) + tail
Date: 1806
1.
a. : an iced drink of wine or distilled liquor mixed with flavoring ingredients
b. : something resembling or suggesting such a drink as being a mixture of often diverse elements or ingredients
a cocktail of remembered incidents and pure imagination — Charlotte Low
a cocktail of herbicides
c. : a mixture of agents usually in solution that is taken or used together especially for medical treatment or diagnosis
2. : an appetizer served as a first course at a meal
II. adjective
Date: 1852
1. : of, relating to, or set aside for cocktails
a cocktail hour
2. : designed for semiformal wear
a cocktail dress
III. noun
Etymology: cock (I) + tail
Date: 1808
: a horse with its tail docked