dovetail
In full dovetail joint: a type of joint where adjoining components are fastened by multiple tenons cut into wedge shapes resembling a dove's tail, which interlock with mortises having corresponding shapes.
dovetail: interlocking wedge joints that lock wood together
A dovetail is a woodworking joint formed by cutting a series of wedge-shaped projections (the tails) on one piece and matching V-shaped recesses (the pins) on another, so they interlock when assembled. The wedge profile means the pieces lock mechanically: pull straight out and they resist; pull at an angle and they jam tighter. This is why the joint was prized for drawers and boxes long before clamps and glue became reliable.
The classic proportions are roughly 1 to 1.5 ratio of tail width to tail spacing, angled at 5 to 10 degrees from vertical on hardwoods, shallower on softwoods. A typical drawer front might have five to seven tails per side, each roughly 12 to 20 millimeters wide depending on the work. Through dovetails, where the joint is visible from both sides, are strongest and most traditional. Half-blind (or lap) dovetails hide the joint on one face, used when appearance matters more than full strength.
Layout and cutting matter enormously
The joint fails when angles are wrong, spacing uneven, or walls between pins too thin. Cutting by hand requires a backsaw, chisels, and steady hand; modern shops use routers with jigs or CNC cutters. Sawn dovetails must fit without forcing; gaps wider than a shaving let wood move independently and the joint loses rigidity. The fit depends entirely on the maker's accuracy, not on glue or fasteners.Dust and debris in the joint during assembly are common culprits for binding. Wood movement in width (seasonal moisture change) is absorbed by the joint itself rather than creating stress, which is one reason it survives centuries in old furniture. Dovetails shine in solid wood; they have no use in plywood or MDF because there is no grain direction to create the wedging action.
The name comes directly from the tail shape's resemblance to a dove's spread tail feathers. The joint appears in European furniture by the 15th century and in Asian cabinetry much earlier. It remains the benchmark of hand-tool skill and precision joinery, despite being entirely superseded by mortise-and-tenon for frame and panel work and by box joints for industrial production.