tartan

American  

[tahr-tn] / ˈtɑr tn /

noun

tartans plural

1. 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.

2. a design of such a plaid known by the name of the clan wearing it.

3. any plaid.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling tartan.

2. made of tartan.

tartan ¹ British  

/ ˈtɑːtən /

noun

1. 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 clan

      the Buchanan tartan

   2. ( as modifier )

      a tartan kilt

2. a woollen fabric or garment with this design

3. Highland dress

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tartan ² British  

/ ˈtɑːtən /

noun

1. a single-masted vessel used in the Mediterranean, usually with a lateen sail

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tartaned
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tartans
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tartan

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

Explanation

Tartan is a plaid pattern that's often woven from wool into cloth. Scottish bagpipers often wear knee socks and tartan kilts. A true tartan is a specific pattern that represents a certain Scottish clan or family. In 1746, the Scottish government tried to keep the clans peaceful and under control by banning tartan. While the words tartan and plaid are basically interchangeable in the U.S., in Scotland a plaid is a large tartan cloth or blanket. Experts believe that the word tartan is rooted in the Medieval Latin tyrius, "cloth from Tyre."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tartan tartans

Athletes shivered their way through their media interviews and high jump champion Eleanor Patterson of Australia was wearing a tartan scarf while officials struggled to clear water from the runway.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

We took into account everything from expected goals to local weather conditions to gigantic parades of sweaty supporters in tartan kilts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Grooms have shown Boston-based wedding planner Keri Ketterer Walter a specific tartan, a herringbone fabric swatch and “wallpaper that kind of looked like the scales of a trout” for decor inspiration, she said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

The Ramones had songs based on “Saturday Night,” and they dressed in the tartan plaids of Queens, which is the black leather jackets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2026

There was a thick tartan scarf bound around his head, and his nose was unusually purple.

From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling

There’s plenty to love about “Blood of My Blood,” especially a return to the 18th century Highlands, with tartans, castles and craggy tors aplenty.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2025

The new tartan has been registered with the Scottish register of tartans, which is administered by the National Records of Scotland.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2023

Weekends and holidays at Balmoral in Scotland allowed her to shine a light on Scottish tartans and English tweeds.

From New York Times ● Sep. 8, 2022

She goes with kilts and skirts in tartans and plaids as her country style.

From Seattle Times ● May 26, 2022

They were like the devices that held our tartans together, unremarkable, dull, but necessary in their way.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• jumble
• mishmash
• plaid