tattoo

¹ American  

[ta-too] / tæˈtu /

noun

PLURAL

tattoos

1. a signal on a drum, bugle, or trumpet at night, for soldiers or sailors to go to their quarters.

2. a knocking or strong pulsation.

   My heart beat a tattoo on my ribs.

3. British.  an outdoor military pageant or display.

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tattoo ² American  

[ta-too] / tæˈtu /

noun

PLURAL

tattoos

1. the act or practice of marking the skin with indelible patterns, pictures, legends, etc., by making punctures in it and inserting pigments.

2. a pattern, picture, legend, etc., so made.

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verb (used with object)

tattooed, tattooing

1. to mark (the skin) with tattoos.

2. to put (tattoos) on the skin.

tattoo ¹ British  

/ tæˈtuː /

noun

1. (formerly) a signal by drum or bugle ordering the military to return to their quarters

2. a military display or pageant, usually at night

3. any similar beating on a drum, etc

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tattoo ² British  

/ tæˈtuː /

verb

1. to make (pictures or designs) on (the skin) by pricking and staining with indelible colours

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noun

1. a design made by this process

2. the practice of tattooing

Other Word Forms

• tattooer noun
• tattooist noun
• untattooed adjective

Etymology

Origin of tattoo¹

First recorded in 1570–80; earlier taptoo, from Dutch taptoe, literally, “shut tap,” from tap “spigot, tap” + toe “closed, shut”; cognate with tap ² ( def. ), to ( def. )

Origin of tattoo²

First recorded in 1760–70; from Marquesan tatu; replacing tattow, from Tahitian tatau

Example Sentences

She has bleached blond hair, brown eyes and no tattoos.

From Los Angeles Times

Maddi Mathers, a tattoo artist from Melbourne commented "love you but not the AI" under the same German influencers post who created the AI dalmatians.

From BBC

One business told the Kansas City Fed that it is a great time to get a tattoo, because top artists who are usually booked up suddenly have openings on their schedules.

From The Wall Street Journal

She weighed 71 pounds and had a “Shhh” tattoo on her finger, according to details released by the medical examiner prior to the court order.

From Los Angeles Times

Over the last year, Lofranco often posted to Instagram, sharing photos of his outfits, tattoos and graffiti art.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• emblem
• symbol