A decorative graphic or typographic ornament placed at the bottom of a page to fill the blank space after the conclusion of a chapter or article. Historic tailpieces often featured floral motifs, printer's devices, or geometric patterns. They provide visual closure before the reader turns to a new section.
Heard on the job
The last paragraph runs short, so let's drop a small floral tailpiece in the white space to balance the page.
Also heard as
- cul-de-lampe
- endpiece
Do not mix it up with
- Headpiece: A tailpiece goes at the end of a chapter, while a headpiece sits at the very beginning.