- woolen cloth with a woven pattern of straight lines of different colors and widths crossing at right angles, esp. as traditionally worn in the Scottish Highlands, with each clan having its own pattern
- any plaid cloth like this
- any tartan pattern
- a garment made of tartan
Origin of tartan
probably from Middle French tiretaine, a cloth of mixed fibers from Old French tiret, a kind of cloth from tire, cloth (of silk) from the East from Medieval Latin tyrius, material from Tyre from Classical Latin Tyrus, Tyre; spelling, spelled influenced, influence by Middle English tartarin, a rich material from Middle French (drap) tartarin, Tartar (cloth) of, like, or made of tartan
