Dictionary.com

tatouay

[ tat-oo-ey, tah-too-ahy ]
/ ˈtæt uˌeɪ, ˌtɑ tuˈaɪ /

noun

a naked-tailed armadillo, Cabassous unicintus, of tropical South America.

QUIZZES

CAN YOU GUESS THESE WORDS FROM AROUND THE US?

American English is not always as it appears to be ... get to know regional words in this quiz!
Question 1 of 10
A bet is synonymous with a wager, but what does it mean in New York?
Often it means something is impossible.
It’s another way to agree with someone.
It serves as an apology.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of tatouay

1825–35; <Spanish tatuay<Portuguese <Guarani tatu-ai, equivalent to tatu armadillo + ai worthless, lazy

Words nearby tatouay

Tathata, Tati, Tatiana, Tatin, Tatius, tatouay, TATP, tatpurusha, Tatra Mountains, TATT, tatter
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for tatouay

tatouay
/ (ˈtætʊˌeɪ, ˌtɑːtʊˈaɪ) /

noun

a large armadillo, Cabassous tatouay, of South America

Word Origin for tatouay

C16: from Spanish tatuay, from Guarani tatu ai, from tatu armadillo + ai worthless (because inedible)
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