tatter

¹ American  

[tat-er] / ˈtæt ər /

noun

1. a torn piece hanging loose from the main part, as of a garment or flag.

2. a separate torn piece; shred.

3. tatters, torn or ragged clothing.

   dressed in rags and tatters.

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verb (used with object)

1. to tear or wear to tatters.

verb (used without object)

1. to become ragged.

tatter ² American  

[tat-er] / ˈtæt ər /

noun

1. a person who does tatting, especially as an occupation.

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tatter British  

/ ˈtætə /

verb

1. to make or become ragged or worn to shreds

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noun

1. (plural) torn or ragged pieces, esp of material

2. 1. torn to pieces; in shreds

   2. destroyed or ruined

Etymology

Origin of tatter¹

1375–1425; (noun) late Middle English < Old Norse tǫturr rag, tatter; akin to Old English tætteca rag, shred; (v.) back formation from tattered

Origin of tatter²

First recorded in 1880–85; tat + -er ¹

Explanation

A tatter is a raggedy end or scrap of something, particularly paper or fabric. Your crazy cat might climb the curtains every night, until there's nothing left hanging from the rod but tatters. It's most common to find this word in its plural form, tatters. A homeless person might dress in tatters, and a serious hiker might wear a pair of socks until they're just tatters, then throw them away and put on a new pair. Tatter comes from an earlier word, tatrys, "slashed garments," which has a Scandinavian root and is related to words like the Old Norse töturr, "rags."

Example Sentences

For example, Border Morris, originating in the Welsh border counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, features performers who wear tatter coats and often paint their faces or use other forms of disguise.

From BBC • Nov. 15, 2024

Bernstein has long had an affinity for a soft, romantic style and creates products like the silk velvet tatter ruffle square pillow and silk velvet ruffle throws.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 4, 2022

In the theater and when dancing, the tails looked like butterfly wings flying, but on the battlefield, we had to tatter and tear them, make them full of holes.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2022

In boxing, these guys have great vision, because you got to be able to see an opening, and when he's got an opening he would just tatter you, like a machine gun punch.

From Salon • May 5, 2019

His fine clothes were a tatter, his face a ruin.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Related Words

• fragment
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• modicum
• ounce
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