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View synonyms for

tattoo

1

[ ta-too ]

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.


tattoo

2

[ ta-too ]

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.

verb (used with object)

tattooed, tattooing.
  1. to mark (the skin) with tattoos.
  2. to put (tattoos) on the skin.

tattoo

1

/ æˈٳː /

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
“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

tattoo

2

/ æˈٳː /

verb

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

noun

  1. a design made by this process
  2. the practice of tattooing
“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
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Derived Forms

  • ٲˈٴǴDZ, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • ٲ·ٴǴİ ٲ·ٴǴi noun
  • ܲt·ٴǴDZ adjective
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Word History and Origins

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
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tattoo1

C17: from Dutch taptoe, from the command tap toe! turn off the taps! from tap tap of a barrel + toe to shut

Origin of tattoo2

C18: from Tahitian tatau
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Lawyers and family members say many of the deported Venezuelan men had no criminal records but were taken into custody because of their tattoos.

From

After all, it’s hard to be taken seriously when the “entire” Pentagon considers Hegseth a cable news clown with bad tattoos who wants to install a makeup room in the Pentagon.

From

“She really saved my life,” he said of Becker, whose name Bernthal has lovingly tattooed on his forearm, along with the emblem for the Moscow Art Theatre, a seagull in flight.

From

Like many greyhounds raised in racing kennels, Crafty has numbers tattooed on his inner ears, and has struggled to socialise with other dogs and humans.

From

His “Tres Reyes” or “Three Kings” tattoos that were common in his hometown in Venezuela.

From

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