1
: a plaid textile design of Scottish origin consisting of stripes of varying width and color usually patterned to designate a distinctive clan
2
a
: a twilled woolen fabric with tartan design
b
: a fabric with tartan design
3
: a garment of tartan design
Examples of tartan in a Sentence
a kilt in the clan's tartan
Recent Examples on the Web
Tartans come from Lochcarron of Scotland, a textile company specializing in tartan fabrics and traditional Highland dress.
—
Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 3 July 2025
When is Scheffler’s tee time on Thursday, and what are the tee times for the rest of the tournament?
Scheffler will start his quest for the tartan jacket at 12:45 p.m. on Thursday and the rest of the tee times for the first two rounds are listed below.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 May 2025
Brundle, famous for not only his former driving in the sport but also his iconic grid walk interviews, approached Sir Jackie, wearing his usual tartan suit.
—Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 May 2025
Each of the 109 guest rooms at the Muir, built only with Canadian materials, has midcentury-style furnishings made in Quebec, local art, and modern tartan blankets—a nod to the province’s Scottish history and designed especially for the hotel.
—Adam Wisniewski, AFAR Media, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tartan
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Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 3 July 2025
When is Scheffler’s tee time on Thursday, and what are the tee times for the rest of the tournament?
Scheffler will start his quest for the tartan jacket at 12:45 p.m. on Thursday and the rest of the tee times for the first two rounds are listed below.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 May 2025
Brundle, famous for not only his former driving in the sport but also his iconic grid walk interviews, approached Sir Jackie, wearing his usual tartan suit.
—Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 May 2025
Each of the 109 guest rooms at the Muir, built only with Canadian materials, has midcentury-style furnishings made in Quebec, local art, and modern tartan blankets—a nod to the province’s Scottish history and designed especially for the hotel.
—Adam Wisniewski, AFAR Media, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tartan
Cite this Entry
“Tartan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tartan. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tartan
noun
tar·tan
ˈtärt-ᵊn 
1
: a plaid textile design of Scottish origin
2
: a fabric or garment with tartan design
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