tan

play

verb \ ˈtan \

Definition of tan

tanned; tanning

transitive verb

1 :to make (skin) tan especially by exposure to the sun

2 a :to convert (hide) into leather by treatment with an infusion of tannin-rich bark or other agent of similar effect

b :to convert (protein) to leather or a similar substance

3 :thrash, whip

intransitive verb

:to get or become tan

See tan defined for English-language learners

See tan defined for kids

Recent Examples of tan from the Web

Her ID card shows a smiling woman with gray hair, blue eyes and tanned skin.

— cynthia hubert, sacbee, "He thought jail would be better than being homeless. So he lied about a murder, man testifies," 28 July 2017
Application: Do: Always start by tanning your face, hands, and feet.

— nicole saunders, Billboard, "The Definitive Guide To Self-Tanning Like Khloe Kardashian," 26 July 2017
Close by, dozens of other naked bodies tanned in the sun and bobbed in the shallow water.

— davy rothbart, GQ, "Inside the Clothing-Optional Resort of Your Swinging Dreams," 18 July 2017
Stray leaves and tan hot dog wrappers litter the infield, broadcast about the dirt by the wind.

— chad pergram, Fox News, "Scalise downgrade a reminder things aren’t quite back to normal, despite sense of calm," 6 July 2017
And as a finisher, an exaggerated slit cut through Zendaya's DayGlo pink gown, showing off a set of toned and tanned stems, mimicking the hyper-feminine reveals that were a hallmark of iconic trio Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard.

— calin van paris, Vogue, "Zendaya Channels Diana Ross Beauty at the Premiere of Spider-Man," 29 June 2017
The overall tone of the essays runs toward wistfulness, and the latest contribution, by Bhaskar Sunkara, editor of the left-wing journal Jacobin, presents communism as tanned, rested, and ready.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "100 Years After the Bolshevik Revolution, Communism Hasn’t Changed," 28 June 2017
The Dalits are assigned the filthiest jobs, such as cleaning human excreta—which is indicative of a prefixed caste—or tanning animal skins, all done with nonprotective gear.

— cornel west and suraj yengde, The Root, "A Shared History of Struggle Should Unite India’s Dalits and African Americans in the Fight for Equality," 12 June 2017
The law imposed new taxes on many health sectors, including medical device makers, insurance companies, high-cost health insurance plans and even tanning salons....

— paige winfield cunningham, Washington Post, "The Health 202: Amid Comey drama, a health-care skirmish is unfolding," 8 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tan.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of tan

Middle English tannen, from Anglo-French tanner, from Medieval Latin tannare, from tanum, tannum tanbark

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First Known Use: 13th century

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tan Synonyms

Synonyms

birch, cowhide, flagellate, flail, flog, hide, horsewhip, lash, leather, rawhide, scourge, slash, switch, whip, thrash, whale

Related Words

knout, quirt, strap; cut; flick, touch up; blackjack, cane, club, cudgel, fustigate; pistol-whip; bang, bop, box, bust, clap, clip, clobber, clout, crack, cuff, hit, knock, lam, paste, punch, slap, slug, smack, smite, sock, spank, swat, swipe, thwack, wallop, whack; bash, baste, bat, batter, beat, belabor, belt, bludgeon, buffet, bung, drub, fib [British], hammer, lace, lambaste (or lambast), lather, lick, mangle, maul, paddle, pelt, pommel, pound, pummel, rough, slate, slog, thresh, thump, tromp, whop (or whap), whup, work over

tan

adjective

Definition of tan

tanner; tannest

1 :of the color tan

2 :of, relating to, or used for tan or tanning

See tan defined for English-language learners

Examples of tan in a Sentence

I can't believe how tan she is!
a horse with tan markings

Recent Examples of tan from the Web

The first sign of a sod webworm outbreak is the appearance of large numbers of small, tan or gray moths fluttering around lawns and beds in mid- to late summer.

— dan gill, NOLA.com, "How to spot, prevent and control sob webworms in your lawn," 29 July 2017
The woman thought the light brown or tan sedan in her carport at 12:15 p.m. belonged to a relative, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said.

— joe marusak, charlotteobserver, "Person of interest sought in robbery of elderly woman," 21 July 2017
This Camry is more adventurous with color, too, with the gray and tan interiors using multiple hues, while a red-and-black scheme can be had in the XSE.

— joe lorio, Car and Driver, "2018 Toyota Camry," 22 June 2017
The bread was excellent, and in ways that resisted comparison — tall and tan and sweet as brioche, but softer inside, more supple.

— tejal rao, New York Times, "Before Croissants, There Was Kubaneh, a Jewish Yemeni Delight," 22 June 2017
Tekiyah was last seen wearing brown or tan shorts with a pink tank top.

— carol robinson, AL.com, "Sylacauga police searching for 15-year-old runaway," 19 June 2017
Even people who have naturally modestly tan skin have far more protection than those without any tan at all.

— emily matchar, Smithsonian, "Researchers Give Skin Cells a Tan—Without the Sun," 13 June 2017
Dressed in a tan knee-length dress, Melania shared a photo of herself with seven women dressed in abayas, the loose-fitting, full-length robes local women are required to wear in public in Saudi Arabia.

— reuters, NBC News, "Melania Trump Hails ‘Empowerment of Women’ at Saudi Company Visit," 21 May 2017
The brown and tan python's name is SS Wraps and is as thick as a football, Trexel said.

— alissa zhu, USA TODAY, "This 20-foot python is on the loose in the Ozarks," 20 May 2017

First Known Use of tan

1586

tan

noun

Definition of tan

1 :a brown color imparted to the skin especially by exposure to the sun

2 :a light yellowish brown

3 tans plural :tan-colored articles of clothing

4 :a tanning material or its active agent (such as tannin)

See tan defined for English-language learners

Examples of tan in a Sentence

I got a tan on my vacation.

Recent Examples of tan from the Web

A long, 10-seat light wooden table with a pullout bench furnishes the dining area and sits beside the tan couch in the living room.

— madeleine winer, The Courier-Journal, "Rustic yet luxurious, this golf course ranch is perfect for a big family," 24 Aug. 2017
Es una burla, no tan solo para mis hermanos venezolanos, sino para el mundo entero su régimen dictatorial.

— patricia mazzei, miamiherald, "‘Despacito’ artists to Maduro: Stop using our song for political propaganda," 24 July 2017
Senior photos are not usually due until November or December, but many seniors book summer and fall sessions to capture themselves outdoors — or at least with a tan.

— christine cunningham, Alaska Dispatch News, "Gun-safety rules apply in the photo studio too," 18 July 2017
There was a lot of going out, getting drunk, and fist-fighting to be had, along with guido tropes like big hair, big muscles, and garish tans.

— vanityfair.com, "G.T.L. for Life: Jersey Shore Set for a Reunion Series at E!," 14 July 2017
A tan short-sleeve button-up shirt is covered in orange dog bones.

— matthew vantryon, The Courier-Journal, "Dog days of summer: Meet the bat-retrieving, Gatorade-delivering canine," 11 July 2017
The car is a tan 2016 Hyundai Elantra with Florida tag L349UQ, police said.

— michael williams, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Kissimmee police looking for auto theft suspect," 9 July 2017
Washington said the woman who reported the puppies missing described them as tan and brown Dachshund puppies.

— emily lane, NOLA.com, "Pair of puppies stolen from yard of Little Woods home, NOPD says," 3 July 2017
Coriander seeds are like tiny tan hued beads with ridges.

— susan selasky, Detroit Free Press, "What’s the difference between cilantro and coriander," 1 July 2017

Origin and Etymology of tan

French, tanbark, from Old French, from Medieval Latin tanum

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1674

See Words from the same year

tan

abbreviation

Definition of tan

tangent

TAN Defined for English Language Learners

tan

play

verb

Definition of tan for English Language Learners

: to cause (skin) to become darker especially from being exposed to the sun's rays
: to become darker especially from being exposed to the sun's rays
: to change (the skin of an animal) into leather by a chemical process

tan

adjective

Definition of tan for English Language Learners

: having skin that has been made darker by being exposed to the sun's rays
: having a light brown color

tan

noun

Definition of tan for English Language Learners

: a browning of the skin that is caused by the sun's rays
: a light brown color

TAN Defined for Kids

tan

play

verb \ ˈtan \

Definition of tan for Students

tanned; tanning

1 :to change animal hide into leather especially by soaking in a tannin solution

2 :to make or become brown in color

She doesn't tan. Instead, she gets a sunburn.

3 :¹beat 1, thrash

tan

adjective

Definition of tan for Students

tanner; tannest

:of a light yellowish brown color

tan

noun

Definition of tan for Students

1 :a brown color given to the skin by the sun or wind

2 :a light yellowish brown :the color of sand

Medical Dictionary

tan

play

verb \ ˈtan \

medical Definition of tan

tanned; tanning

transitive verb

:to make (skin) tan especially by exposure to the sun

intransitive verb

:to get or become tanned

tan

noun

medical Definition of tan

:a brown color imparted to the skin by exposure to the sun or wind

Learn More about tan

See words that rhyme with tan Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tan Spanish Central: Translation of tan Nglish: Translation of tan for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of tan for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tan

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tan

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tan

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tan

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tan

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tan

Definition of tan for English Language Learners

tan

Definition of tan for English Language Learners

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Medical Dictionary

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tan

medical Definition of tan

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