Tarzan

American  

[tahr-zuhn, -zan] / ˈtɑr zən, -zæn /

noun

1. the hero of a series of jungle stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

2. a person of superior or superhuman physical strength, agility, and prowess.

---

Tarzan British  

/ ˈtɑːzən /

noun

1. informal (sometimes not capital) a man with great physical strength, agility, and virility

---

Tarzan ¹ Cultural  

1. A character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs in the early twentieth century. Tarzan, born to aristocratic parents but orphaned in Africa, is raised by apes, who teach him to speak their language.

---

Tarzan ² Cultural  

1. A character in popular novels by the twentieth-century American author Edgar Rice Burroughs. (See under “Mythology and Folklore.”)

---

Discover More

By extension, a “Tarzan” is a macho male, figuratively thumping his chest to get attention.

The adventures of Tarzan have been chronicled in countless books, comic strips, animated cartoons, radio and television series, and motion pictures.

Etymology

Origin of Tarzan

C20: after the hero of a series of stories by Edgar Rice _Burroughs

Example Sentences

Skarsgård has incredible range as an actor, as he has also played "Tarzan" and a war hero in "Generation Kill," but his portrayal of villains tends to stand out more.

From Salon • Jun. 4, 2025

Among the heroes availing themselves of this innovation was one Johnny Weissmuller – later to find fame as cinema’s Tarzan.

From BBC • Jul. 19, 2024

Tarzan has officially been kicked out of his treehouse at the Anaheim theme park, given the boot for a crafty family of explorers.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 3, 2023

The wallpaper tendrils down like a wide Tarzan vine to the built-in benches of the cozy corner nook, where fabric takes over on the seats and pillow.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 20, 2023

I flailed my arms about, consumed by images of quicksand from old Tarzan movies and episodes of Gilligan’s Island.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge