tanga

[ tuhng-gah ]

/ təŋˈgɑ /

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noun

either of two former coins of India, one gold and one silver, issued by various Muslim rulers.

a former coin of Portuguese India, equal to the 10th part of a rupee.

a former silver coin of Tibet of varying weight and fineness.

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Also tangka.

Origin of tanga

First recorded in 1590–1600, tanga is from the Hindi word taṅgā

Words nearby tanga

Tane, Tanen Taunggyi, Taney, Taneyev, tang, tanga, Tanganyika, Tanganyikan, tangata māori, tangata tiriti, tangata whenua

Other definitions for tanga (2 of 2)

Tanga

[ tang-guh ]

/ ˈtæŋ gə /

noun

a seaport in NE Tanzania.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tanga in a sentence

Ipanema has long been the hotbed of beach apparel, launching looks like the tanga and the g-string.
The Girl From Ipanema Is Not Alone: Rio’s Famous Beach Is A Rich, Cultural Kaleidoscope|Brandon Presser|June 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One day one of our whalers entered Tanga harbour the very day the German mines were lifted for the periodical overhaul.
Sketches of the East Africa Campaign|Robert Valentine Dolbey
He it was who told me of his discovery of a seam of anthracite coal in the bed of a river near the Tanga railway.
Sketches of the East Africa Campaign|Robert Valentine Dolbey
Then let King Sanga Tanga say, that if we are detained, he will march a large army to liberate us.
The Two Supercargoes|W.H.G. Kingston

The longer we remain with King Sanga Tanga, the more confidence the people will have in us.
The Two Supercargoes|W.H.G. Kingston
It was disembarked from the troopship near Tanga, and then moved against the position.
New York Times Current History; The European War, Vol 2, No. 5, August, 1915|Various

British Dictionary definitions for tanga (1 of 2)

tanga

/ (ˈtæŋɡə) /

noun

a triangular loincloth worn by indigenous peoples in tropical America

a type of very brief bikini

Word Origin for tanga

from Portuguese, ultimately of Banth origin

British Dictionary definitions for tanga (2 of 2)

Tanga

/ (ˈtæŋɡə) /

noun

a port in N Tanzania, on the Indian Ocean: Tanzania's second port. Pop: 190 000 (2005 est)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012