noun

1. a thick, sticky, brown to black liquid with a pungent odor, obtained by the destructive distillation of wood, coal, peat, shale, etc.: tars are composed of hydrocarbons and their derivatives, and are used for protecting and preserving surfaces, in making various organic compounds, etc.
2. loosely any of the solids in smoke, as from tobacco

Etymology: ME terre < OE teru < PGmc *terw(i)a-, substance from trees < IE base *deru-, tree

transitive verb tarred, tarring tar′·ring

adjective

1. of or like tar
2. covered with tar; tarred

noun

Etymology: < tar(paulin)