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tartan

[ tahr-tn ]
/ ˈtɑr tn /
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See synonyms for: tartan / tartans on Thesaurus.com
noun
a woolen or worsted cloth woven with stripes of different colors and widths crossing at right angles, worn chiefly by the Scottish Highlanders, each clan having its own distinctive plaid.
a design of such a plaid known by the name of the clan wearing it.
any plaid.
adjective
of, relating to, or resembling tartan.
made of tartan.
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Origin of tartan

1490–1500; variant of tertane<Middle French tertaine (Old French tiretaine) linsey-woolsey

Words nearby tartan

Tarski, tarso-, tarsometatarsus, tarsus, tart, tartan, tartanry, tartar, tartarated, tartare, Tartarean
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to tartan

jumble, mishmash, plaid, checkerboard, patchwork, quilt, check, confusion, disorder, hash, medley, miscellany, muddle, pastiche, salad, salmagundi, stew, variegated, olio

How to use tartan in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tartan (1 of 2)

tartan1
/ (ˈtɑːtən) /
noun
  1. a design of straight lines, crossing at right angles to give a chequered appearance, esp the distinctive design or designs associated with each Scottish clanthe Buchanan tartan
  2. (as modifier)a tartan kilt
a woollen fabric or garment with this design
the tartan Highland dress

Derived forms of tartan

tartaned, adjective

Word Origin for tartan

C16: perhaps from Old French tertaine linsey-woolsey, from Old Spanish tiritaña a fine silk fabric, from tiritar to rustle

British Dictionary definitions for tartan (2 of 2)

tartan2
/ (ˈtɑːtən) /
noun
a single-masted vessel used in the Mediterranean, usually with a lateen sail

Word Origin for tartan

C17: from French, perhaps from Provençal tartana falcon, buzzard, since a ship was frequently given the name of a bird
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
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