The tail is the rear end of an animal's body made up of bones, muscles, and skin lining. In slaughtered animals the tail belongs, together with offal, to the so-called "fifth quarter". The tails used in gastronomy are that of beef (the famous 'coda alla vaccinara', a typical Lazio preparation) and veal.

The term tail also defines the pulp contained in the shellfish carapaces; this part, in fact, corresponds to the abdomen and, along with the pulp found in the claws, represents the edible part.