tarpaulin
[ tahr-paw-lin, tahr-puh-lin ]
/ tɑrˈpɔ lɪn, ˈtɑr pə lɪn /
noun
a protective covering of canvas or other material waterproofed with tar, paint, or wax.
a hat, especially a sailor's, made of or covered with such material.
Rare. a sailor.
Nearby words
tarot, tarots, tarp, tarpan, tarpaper, tarpaulin, tarpeia, tarpeian rock, tarpit, tarpon, tarpon springs
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for tarpaulin
British Dictionary definitions for tarpaulin
tarpaulin
/ (tɑːˈpɔːlɪn) /
noun
a heavy hard-wearing waterproof fabric made of canvas or similar material coated with tar, wax, or paint, for outdoor use as a protective covering against moisture
a sheet of this fabric
a hat of or covered with this fabric, esp a sailor's hat
a rare word for seaman
Word Origin for tarpaulin
C17: probably from tar 1 + pall 1 + -ing 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for tarpaulin
tarpaulin
c.1600, from tar (n.1) + palling, from pall "heavy cloth covering" (see pall (n.)); probably so called because the canvas is sometimes coated in tar to make it waterproof.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper