tartan

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: tar=tan

CIDE DICTIONARY

tartan, n. [F. tiretane linsey-woolsey, akin to Sp. tiritaña a sort of thin silk; cf. Sp. tiritar to shiver or shake with cold.].

 Woolen cloth, checkered or crossbarred with narrow bands of various colors, much worn in the Highlands of Scotland; hence, any pattern of tartan; also, other material of a similar pattern.  [1913 Webster]
"MacCullummore's heart will be as cold as death can make it, when it does not warm to the tartan."  [1913 Webster]
"The sight of the tartan inflamed the populace of London with hatred."  [1913 Webster]

tartan, n. [F. tartane, or Sp., Pg., or It. tartana; all perhaps of Arabic origin.].

 A small coasting vessel, used in the Mediterranean, having one mast carrying large leteen sail, and a bowsprit with staysail or jib.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tartan, n.
1 a pattern of coloured stripes crossing at right angles, esp. the distinctive plaid worn by the Scottish Highlanders to denote their clan.
2 woollen cloth woven in this pattern (often attrib.: a tartan scarf).

tartan, n. a lateen-sailed single-masted ship used in the Mediterranean.

Etymology

F tartane f. It. tartana, perh. f. Arab. tarida

THESAURUS

tartan

armory, badge, badge of office, badges, baton, blazonry, brassard, button, cap and gown, chain, chain of office, check, checker, checkerboard, checkerwork, chessboard, class ring, cockade, collar, colors in patches, crazy-work, cross, decoration, dress, eagle, emblems, ensigns, fasces, figurehead, fleur-de-lis, hammer and sickle, harlequin, heraldry, insignia, lapel pin, livery, mace, mantle, markings, marquetry, medal, mortarboard, mosaic, old school tie, parquet, parquetry, patchwork, pin, plaid, regalia, ring, rose, school ring, shamrock, sigillography, skull and crossbones, sphragistics, staff, swastika, tessellation, tesserae, thistle, tie, uniform, variegated pattern, verge, wand

ROGET THESAURUS

tartan

Variegation

N variegation, colors, dichroism, trichroism, iridescence, play of colors, polychrome, maculation, spottiness, striae, spectrum, rainbow, iris, tulip, peacock, chameleon, butterfly, tortoise shell, mackerel, mackerel sky, zebra, leopard, cheetah, nacre, ocelot, ophite, mother-of-pearl, opal, marble, check, plaid, tartan, patchwork, marquetry-, parquetry, mosaic, tesserae, strigae, chessboard, checkers, chequers, harlequin, Joseph's coat, tricolor, variegated, many-colored, many-hued, divers-colored, party- colored, dichromatic, polychromatic, bicolor, tricolor, versicolor, of all the colors of the rainbow, of all manner of colors, kaleidoscopic, iridescent, opaline, opalescent, prismatic, nacreous, pearly, shot, gorge de pigeon, chatoyant, irisated, pavonine, pied, piebald, motley, mottled, marbled, pepper and salt, paned, dappled, clouded, cymophanous, mosaic, tesselated, plaid, tortoise shell, spotted, spotty, punctated, powdered, speckled, freckled, flea-bitten, studded, flecked, fleckered, striated, barred, veined, brinded, brindled, tabby, watered, grizzled, listed, embroidered, daedal, naevose, stipiform, strigose, striolate, (iii) PERCEPTIONS OF LIGHT.