tartan


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tar·tan 1

 (tär′tn)
n.
1.
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.
2. A plaid fabric.

[Middle English tartane, possibly from Old French tiretaine, linsey-woolsey, probably from tiret, a kind of cloth, from tire, silk cloth, from Latin Tyrius, Tyrian (cloth), from Tyrus, Tyre.]

tar′tan adj.

tar·tan 2

 (tär′tn, tär-tăn′)
n.
A small, single-masted Mediterranean ship with a large lateen sail.

[French tartane, from Provençal tartano, from Old Provençal tartana, buzzard, of imitative origin.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

tartan

(ˈtɑːtən)
n
1. (Textiles)
a. a design of straight lines, crossing at right angles to give a chequered appearance, esp the distinctive design or designs associated with each Scottish clan: the Buchanan tartan.
b. (as modifier): a tartan kilt.
2. (Textiles) a woollen fabric or garment with this design
3. (Clothing & Fashion) the tartan Highland dress
[C16: perhaps from Old French tertaine linsey-woolsey, from Old Spanish tiritaña a fine silk fabric, from tiritar to rustle]
ˈtartaned adj

tartan

(ˈtɑːtən)
n
(Nautical Terms) a single-masted vessel used in the Mediterranean, usually with a lateen sail
[C17: from French, perhaps from Provençal tartana falcon, buzzard, since a ship was frequently given the name of a bird]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

tar•tan

(ˈtɑr tn)

n.
1. a woolen or worsted cloth woven with stripes of different colors and widths crossing at right angles, worn chiefly by the Scottish Highlanders, each clan having its own distinctive pattern.
2. such a pattern known by the name of the clan wearing it; plaid.
3. any plaid or plaid fabric.
adj.
4. of, resembling, or made of tartan.
[1490–1500; variant of tertane < Middle French tertaine linsey-woolsey]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.tartan - a cloth having a crisscross designtartan - a cloth having a crisscross design  
cloth, fabric, textile, material - artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers; "the fabric in the curtains was light and semitransparent"; "woven cloth originated in Mesopotamia around 5000 BC"; "she measured off enough material for a dress"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
kostkovanýtartan
skotskternettartan
ruudullinen
tartan
skótkockás gyapjúszövettartán
tartanefnitartanefni, skotadúkur
タータンの
타탄의
languota škotiška medžiagaškotiškos medžiagos raštas
rūtains vilnas audumsrūtis
tartan
tartan
skotskrutig
ลายสกอต
ekosekareli kumaşözel ekose desen
có kẻ ô vuông

tartan

[ˈtɑːtən] Ntartán m, tela f a cuadros escoceses
a tartan scarfuna bufanda escocesa
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

tartan

[ˈtɑːrtən]
ntartan m
adjécossais(e)
a tartan scarf → une écharpe écossaiseTartan Army n (in Scotland) surnom des supporters de l'équipe nationale écossaise de football
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

tartan

n (= pattern)Schottenkaro nt; (= material)Schottenstoff m; what’s your tartan?welches Clanmuster tragen Sie?
adj skirt etcim Schottenkaro or -muster
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

tartan

[ˈtɑːtən]
1. ntartan m inv, tessuto scozzese
2. adjdi tessuto scozzese
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

tartan

(ˈtaːtən) noun
1. (woollen or other cloth woven with) a pattern of different coloured lines and broader stripes, crossing each other at right angles, originally used by clans of the Scottish Highlands.
2. any one pattern of this sort, usually associated with a particular clan etc. the Cameron tartan.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

tartan

زِيْ الطرطان الاِسْكُتْلَنْدِيّ kostkovaný skotskternet im Schottenmuster ταρτάν tartán ruudullinen écossais tartan tessuto scozzese タータンの 타탄의 Schotse ruit skotskrutet tartan axadrezado из шотландки skotskrutig ลายสกอต ekose có kẻ ô vuông 格子呢的
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
References in classic literature ?
As Dantes (his eyes turned in the direction of the Chateau d'If) uttered this prayer, he saw off the farther point of the Island of Pomegue a small vessel with lateen sail skimming the sea like a gull in search of prey; and with his sailor's eye he knew it to be a Genoese tartan. She was coming out of Marseilles harbor, and was standing out to sea rapidly, her sharp prow cleaving through the waves.
However, the vessel and the swimmer insensibly neared one another, and in one of its tacks the tartan bore down within a quarter of a mile of him.
This time he was both seen and heard, and the tartan instantly steered towards him.
When he opened his eyes Dantes found himself on the deck of the tartan. His first care was to see what course they were taking.
This oath was no longer a vain menace; for the fastest sailer in the Mediterranean would have been unable to overtake the little tartan, that with every stitch of canvas set was flying before the wind to Leghorn.
They were forbidden to wear the kilt or the tartan, and everything was done to make them speak English and forget Gaelic.
And he found himself reflecting that the oddity seemed to consist in a particular shape cut out in an incongruous material; as if one saw a top-hat made of tin, or a frock-coat cut out of tartan. He was sure he had seen timbers of different tints arranged like that somewhere, but never in such architectural proportions.
Lady Crawley is made to put on the brightest pea-green in her wardrobe, and my pupils leave off their thick shoes and tight old tartan pelisses, and wear silk stockings and muslin frocks, as fashionable baronets' daughters should.
The monkey, meanwhile, with a thick tail curling out into preposterous prolixity from beneath his tartans, took his station at the Italian's feet.
The Kendal green, though its date is more ancient, ought surely to be as dear to our feelings, as the variegated tartans of the north.
A NEW tartan created specifically for Aberdeen City Council has now been registered.
Aberdeen council chiefs have commissioned a new civic tartan for the city.