tartan

noun

tar·​tan ˈtär-tᵊn 

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

The royal family even has its own traditional tartan, the Balmoral tartan, which was created by Prince Albert in 1857 and is gray, black, and red, The Mirror reported. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 12 Aug. 2026

The walls are paneled in dark wood, and a green tartan rug runs through the room. — Jocelyn Silver, Vogue, 26 July 2026

McPhee embraced his Scottish heritage by wearing a kilt in McPhee tartan, while Mel B wore a custom ivory wedding dress from Josephine Scott. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026

Inside, British sensibility — green tartan rugs and seaside landscapes — meets Californian cool, all pale wooden walls and plush couches. — Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 25 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from Middle French tiretaine linsey-woolsey

First Known Use

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tartan

• carton
• garten
• marten
• parton
• spartan
• kindergarten

Kids Definition

tartan

noun

tar·​tan ˈtärt-ᵊn 

1

: a plaid textile design of Scottish origin

2

: a fabric or garment with tartan design