curtal /ˈkəːtəl/noun 4adjective 3forms 3 noun4 •An early type of bassoon. •(historical) A variety of short-barrelled cannon. •(no longer used) A horse or other animal having a docked tail. •(no longer used) Anything docked or cut short. adjective3 •(no longer used) Of horses, having a docked tail. •(no longer used) Physically shortened; short.she had loosened her hair and changed into the curtal frock of sunbright cotton that he was so fond of and had so ardently yearned to soil in the so recent past. — 1969 •(no longer used) Abridged, curtailed.essays and curtal aphorisms — 1649 formscurtals · more curtal · most curtal