Main Entry:

¹tar

Pronunciation:

\ˈtär\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English terr, tarr, from Old English teoru; akin to Old English trēow tree — more at tree

Date:

before 12th century

1 a: a dark brown or black bituminous usually odorous viscous liquid obtained by destructive distillation of organic material (as wood, coal, or peat) b: a substance in some respects resembling tar ; especially : a condensable residue present in smoke from burning tobacco that contains combustion by-products (as resins, acids, phenols, and essential oils)2 [short for tarpaulin] : sailor