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tartan

(tärt′'n)

noun

woolen cloth with a woven pattern of straight lines of different colors and widths crossing at right angles, esp. as worn in the Scottish Highlands, where each clan has its own pattern
any plaid cloth like this
any tartan pattern
a garment made of tartan

Origin: prob. < MFr tiretaine, a cloth of mixed fibers < OFr tiret, a kind of cloth < tire, cloth (of silk) from the East < ML tyrius, material from Tyre < L Tyrus, Tyre; sp. infl. by ME tartarin, a rich material < MFr (drap) tartarin, Tartar (cloth)

adjective

of, like, or made of tartan

noun

a small, single-masted Mediterranean ship with a large lateen sail and a jib

Origin: Fr tartane < It tartana, prob. ult. < Ar tarrād (colloquial form taṭrīda), small, swift kind of ship

See tartan in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. Any of numerous textile patterns consisting of stripes of varying widths and colors crossed at right angles against a solid background, each forming a distinctive design worn by the members of a Scottish clan.
b. A twilled wool fabric or garment having such a pattern.
A plaid fabric.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English tartane

Origin: , possibly from Old French tiretaine, linsey-woolsey

Origin: , probably from tiret, a kind of cloth

Origin: , from tire, silk cloth

Origin: , from Latin Tyrius, Tyrian (cloth)

Origin: , from Tyrus, Tyre

Related Forms: