Definition of tat
: to make by tatting
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Origin and Etymology of tat
back-formation from tatting
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First Known Use: 1858
in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
See Words from the same yearDefinition of tat
: a small protein produced by a lentivirus (such as HIV) that greatly increases the rate of viral transcription and replication and enhances the susceptibility of T cells to infection;
also
: the viral gene that codes for the tat protein
Origin and Etymology of tat
trans-activating transcriptional regulation
Other Biochemistry Terms
Origin and Etymology of tat
by shortening
Definition of tat
tatted;
tatting
chiefly US slang
1
: to mark or color the skin with tattoos : tattoo
- The benefit of getting tatted at a festival is that you have more than 200 artists from which to choose.
- —Kellie Hwang
- … say you're not a gang member, yet hang out with gang members, get tatted up with gang symbols or nicknames …
- —Kimberly Edds
2
: to mark (something) with something like a tattoo
- Cargo trains, all rusted and tatted with graffiti, occasionally pass on the neighboring track.
- —Kara Starzyk
- My passport got tatted up pretty good this year. I hit a dozen countries on five continents, as well as eight states.
- —The Chicago Sun-Times
First Known Use of tat
1995
Other Psychology Terms
Medical Dictionary
medical Definition of tat
1
: a small protein produced by a lentivirus (as HIV) within infected cells that greatly increases the rate of viral transcription and replication and that is also secreted extracellularly where it plays a role in increasing viral replication in newly infected cells and in enhancing the susceptibility of T cells to infection — called also
tat protein
2
: the viral gene that codes for the tat protein
Learn More about tat
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See words that rhyme with tat Britannica English: Translation of tat for Arabic speakers
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