tartan

noun

tar·​tan ˈtär-tᵊn How to pronounce tartan (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Unlike the plaid shirts of the ‘90s, this season’s fashion week runways have elevated tartan to blazers, skirts, cocktail attire, and evening wear. Clare Holden, Glamour, 6 Oct. 2025 Check out our top holiday decor picks below, with everything from tartan table settings to gingham ornaments and ribbons for your Christmas tree. Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025 Attendees layered pleated tartan skirts over jeans. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 30 Sep. 2025 Originating in western Scotland, argyle was once the textile of kilts and highland regalia—an elevated, stylized cousin of tartan. Minty Mellon, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tartan

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from Middle French tiretaine linsey-woolsey

First Known Use

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tartan was circa 1500

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tartan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tartan. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

tartan

noun
tar·​tan ˈtärt-ᵊn How to pronounce tartan (audio)
1
: a plaid textile design of Scottish origin
2
: a fabric or garment with tartan design

More from Merriam-Webster on tartan

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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