heads or tails

noun

The practice of flipping a coin in the air, to choose between two alternatives based on which side lands face up.

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Meanings

noun
  1. idiomaticThe practice of flipping a coin in the air, to choose between two alternatives based on which side lands face up.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
pitch and toss

Origin

Attested since at least 1833, on the second page of Galignani's Messenger: "amusing themselves by pitching quoits, spoiling halfpence at heads or tails with the gingerbread merchants, drinking beer, smoking, etc".

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans kruis of munt, kop of munt
  • kruis of muntheads or tails
  • kop of muntheads or tails
Arabic طُرَّةٌ أَم نَقْشٌ, طُرَّةٌ أَو نَقْشٌ
  • طُرَّةٌ أَم نَقْشٌ (ṭurratun ʔam naqšun)heads or tails
  • طُرَّةٌ أَو نَقْشٌ (ṭurratun ʔaw naqšun)heads or tails
Bulgarian ези́-тура́ ези́ или тура́
  • ези́-тура́ ези́ или тура́ (ezí-turá)heads or tails
Catalan a cara o creu
  • a cara o creuheads or tails
Chinese Mandarin 擲硬幣 /掷硬币, 擲毫 /掷毫
  • 擲硬幣 /掷硬币 (zhì yìngbì)heads or tails
  • 擲毫 /掷毫 (zhì háo)heads or tails
Czech panna nebo orel
  • panna nebo orelheads or tails
Danish plat eller krone
  • plat eller kroneheads or tails
Dutch kruis of munt, kop of munt
  • kruis of muntheads or tails
  • kop of muntheads or tails
Esperanto monerumado
  • monerumadoheads or tails
Finnish kolikonheitto, lantinheitto
  • kolikonheittoheads or tails
  • lantinheittoheads or tails
  • kruuna vai klaavaheads or tails
French pile ou face
  • pile ou faceheads or tails
German Kopf oder Zahl
  • Kopf oder Zahlheads or tails
Greek κορώνα ή γράμματα
  • κορώνα ή γράμματα (koróna í grámmata)heads or tails
Hebrew עֵץ אוֹ פָּלִי
  • עֵץ אוֹ פָּלִי (étz ó páli)heads or tails
Hungarian fej vagy írás
  • fej vagy írásheads or tails
Indonesian gambar atau angka
  • gambar atau angkaheads or tails
Italian testa o croce
  • testa o croceheads or tails
Japanese コイントス
  • コイントス (koin tosu)heads or tails
Korean 앞이야 뒤야
  • 앞이야 뒤야 (apiya dwiya)heads or tails
Latin navia aut caput
  • navia aut caputheads or tails
Latvian cipars vai ģerbonis
  • cipars vai ģerbonisheads or tails
Lithuanian herbas arba skaičius
  • herbas arba skaičiusheads or tails
Norwegian krone eller mynt
  • krone eller myntheads or tails
Polish orzeł czy reszka
  • orzeł czy reszkaheads or tails
Portuguese cara ou coroa
  • cara ou coroaheads or tails
Romanian cap sau pajură
  • cap sau pajurăheads or tails
Russian орля́нка, орёл и́ли ре́шка
  • орля́нка (orljánka)heads or tails
  • орёл и́ли ре́шка (orjól íli réška)heads or tails
Spanish águila o sol, cara o ceca
  • águila o solheads or tails
  • cara o cecaheads or tails
  • cara o coronaheads or tails
  • cara o cruzheads or tails
  • cara o escudoheads or tails
  • cara o númeroheads or tails
  • cara o selloheads or tails
  • escudo o coronaheads or tails
  • faz o envés/revésheads or tails
  • anverso o reversoheads or tails
Swedish krona eller klave, singla slant
  • krona eller klaveheads or tails
  • singla slantheads or tails
Tagalog kara-krus
  • kara-krusheads or tails
Turkish yazı tura
  • yazı turaheads or tails
Ukrainian орел чи решка
  • орел чи решка (orel čı reška)heads or tails
Vietnamese sấp hay ngửa
  • sấp hay ngửaheads or tails
Welsh tu blaen ynteu tu chwith, gwlybyn ynte sychyn
  • tu blaen ynteu tu chwithheads or tails
  • gwlybyn ynte sychynheads or tails
Cite this entry
APA

heads or tails. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heads%20or%20tails

MLA

“heads or tails.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heads%20or%20tails. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heads or tails,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heads%20or%20tails.

Source: heads or tails on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.