tendril. Very common architectural ornament resembling plant-like tendrils. In Classical architecture it is associated with acanthus, anthemion, and palmette, and occurs in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon ornament, medieval grapevine or trail, Renaissance and Mannerist arabesque and grotesque, Art Nouveau whiplash and derivations from Celtic and Norse ornament, and many other styles in various guises and variations.

Bibliography

Greenhalgh (ed.) (2000);
Tschudi-Madsen (1967)

ten·dril / ˈtendrəl/ • n. a slender threadlike appendage of a climbing plant, often growing in a spiral form, that stretches out and twines around any suitable support. ∎  something resembling a plant tendril, esp. a slender curl or ringlet of hair.

tendril A slender branched or unbranched structure found in many climbing plants. It may be a modified stem, leaf, leaflet, or petiole. Tendrils respond to contact with solid objects by twining around them (see thigmotropism). The cells that touch the object lose water and decrease in volume in comparison to the outer cells, thus causing the tendril to curve.

tendril Part of a stem, leaf, or petiole that is modified as a delicate, commonly twisted, thread-like appendage. It is an aid to climbing, as in Cucurbitaceae.

tendril slender thread-like appendage of a plant. XVI. prob. alt., after F. dim. †tendrillon, of †tendron young shoot, (pl.) cartilages of the ribs (XIV) — (O)F. tendron tender part or shoot, cartilage :- Rom. *tenerūmen shoots, f. L. tener TENDER1.