Tailpieces

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A section added at the end of a literary work to provide additional context or commentary
2. a decorative or functional element at the end of a musical composition or artwork
3. a concluding part that serves to summarize or enhance the preceding material

Etymology: "Tailpieces" is the plural of "tailpiece", a noun formed by simply joining "tail" and "piece". Its meaning follows from its parts: the tail is the end of something, and a piece is a portion, so a tailpiece is a portion at the end. The compound is transparent in a way many English words are not, and its literal sense of an end section has been extended to the closing matter of a book, article or speech. In printing and publishing, tailpieces are small decorative ornaments placed at the end of a chapter or section, filling the space left at the bottom of a page. The same idea applies in music, where a closing passage can serve the same purpose. Taken together, the sense of a closing piece that rounds off what came before is a direct outgrowth of the literal compound.