Tarzan

[ tahr-zuhn, -zan ]

noun

the hero of a series of jungle stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
a person of superior or superhuman physical strength, agility, and prowess.

Words Nearby Tarzan

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

How to use Tarzan in a sentence

The late Ellison “Tarzan” Brown inspired the moniker “Heartbreak Hill,” the most difficult part of the course.
2021 Boston Marathon: Schedule, TV information, runners to watch | Cindy Boren | October 8, 2021 | Washington Post
Or a modernized Tarzan might lead African miners on strike against unscrupulous multinationals.
Can Tarzan of the Apes Survive in a Post-Colonial World? | Ted Gioia | November 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
He once was a huge star—in the 50 year period from 1918 to 1968, 14 different actors played Tarzan in around 40 films.
Can Tarzan of the Apes Survive in a Post-Colonial World? | Ted Gioia | November 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
I suspect that the new Tarzan will run into the same problems that beset the recent Lone Ranger remake.
Can Tarzan of the Apes Survive in a Post-Colonial World? | Ted Gioia | November 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
I bought Tarzan comic books, and even had a few issues of ERB-dom, a mimeographed fanzine devoted to the works of Burroughs.
Can Tarzan of the Apes Survive in a Post-Colonial World? | Ted Gioia | November 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

I watched Tarzan movies and the short-lived Tarzan TV series.
Can Tarzan of the Apes Survive in a Post-Colonial World? | Ted Gioia | November 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
A half-crazy kid and yours truly trying to outsmart and out-Tarzan these wild men.
The Syndic | C.M. Kornbluth
At the very furthest stretch of the imagination, a Tarzan might sneak into town and try to steal some ammo.
The Syndic | C.M. Kornbluth
Tells of Tarzan's return to the life of the ape-man in seeking vengeance for the loss of his wife and home.
The Duke Of Chimney Butte | G. W. Ogden
Records the many wonderful exploits by which Tarzan proves his right to ape kingship.
The Duke Of Chimney Butte | G. W. Ogden
Further thrilling adventures of Tarzan while seeking his wife in Africa.
The Duke Of Chimney Butte | G. W. Ogden

British Dictionary definitions for Tarzan

Tarzan

/ (ˈtɑːzən) /

noun

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

Origin of Tarzan

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

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

Cultural definitions for Tarzan (1 of 2)

Tarzan

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.

Notes for Tarzan

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

Notes for Tarzan

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

Tarzan

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

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