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Added 9 October 2026

tattoo

/tæˈtu/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about tattoo at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A drumbeat or bugle call that signals the military to return to their quarters.
A design on the skin made by tattooing.
The practice of making a design on the skin by pricking and staining.

verb

Stain (skin) with indelible color.

Origin

From earlier tattaow, tattow, a borrowing from a Polynesian language, e.g. Samoan tatau (“tattoo; to tap, to strike”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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