/koht"tayl'/ , n.
1. the back of the skirt on a man's coat or jacket.
2. one of the two back parts of the skirt of a coat, esp. one of the tails on a tail coat.
3. on someone's coattails , aided by association with another person: The senator rode into office on the President's coattails.
4. on the coattails of , immediately after or as a result of: His decline in popularity followed on the coattails of the scandal.
adj.
5. gained by association with another, esp. with a successful or celebrated person: coattail benefits.^n.
[ 1590-1600; COAT + TAIL 1 ]