Definitions for tattoo
tæˈtutat·too

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. tattoonoun

   a drumbeat or bugle call that signals the military to return to their quarters

2. tattoonoun

   a design on the skin made by tattooing

3. tattooverb

   the practice of making a design on the skin by pricking and staining

4. tattooverb

   stain (skin) with indelible color

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Tattoonoun

   The beat of drum by which soldiers are warned to their quarters.

   Etymology: perhaps from tapotez tous, Fr. to strike.

   All those whose hearts are loose and low,
   Start if they hear but the tatto. Matthew Prior.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Tattoonoun

   a beat of drum, or sound of a trumpet or bugle, at night, giving notice to soldiers to retreat, or to repair to their quarters in garrison, or to their tents in camp

2. Tattooverb

   to color, as the flesh, by pricking in coloring matter, so as to form marks or figures which can not be washed out

3. Tattoonoun

   an indelible mark or figure made by puncturing the skin and introducing some pigment into the punctures; -- a mode of ornamentation practiced by various barbarous races, both in ancient and modern times, and also by some among civilized nations, especially by sailors

Freebase(3.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Tattoo

   A tattoo is a form of body modification, made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. The first written reference to the word, "tattoo" appears in the journal of Joseph Banks, the naturalist aboard Captain Cook's ship the HMS Endeavour: "I shall now mention the way they mark themselves indelibly, each of them is so marked by their humor or disposition". The word "tattoo" was brought to Europe by the explorer James Cook, when he returned in 1771 from his first voyage to Tahiti and New Zealand. In his narrative of the voyage, he refers to an operation called "tattaw". Before this it had been described as scarring, painting, or staining. Tattooing has been practiced for centuries in many cultures, particularly in Asia, and spread throughout the world. The Ainu, an indigenous people of Japan, traditionally had facial tattoos. Today, one can find Atayal, Seediq, Truku, and Saisiyat of Taiwan, Berbers of Tamazgha, Yoruba, Fulani and Hausa people of Nigeria, and Māori of New Zealand with facial tattoos. Tattooing spread among Polynesians and among certain tribal groups in Africa, Borneo, Cambodia, Europe, Japan, the Mentawai Islands, MesoAmerica, New Zealand, North America and South America, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Indeed, the island of Great Britain takes its name from tattooing; Britons translates as "people of the designs", and Picts, the peoples who originally inhabited the northern part of Britain, literally means "the painted people". Despite some taboos surrounding tattooing, the practice continues to be popular in many parts of the world.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Tattoo

   tat-tōō′, n. a beat of drum and a bugle-call to call soldiers to quarters, originally to shut the taps or drinking-houses against them.—The devil's tattoo, the act of drumming with the fingers on a table, &c.; in absence of mind or impatience. [Dut. taptoe—tap, a tap, and toe, which is the prep., Eng. to. Ger. zu, in the sense of 'shut.']

2. Tattoo

   tat-tōō′, v.t. to mark permanently (as the skin) with figures, by pricking in colouring-matter.—n. marks or figures made by pricking colouring-matter into the skin.—ns. Tattoo′āge; Tattoo′er; Tattoo′ing. [Tahitian tatu.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. tattoo

   The evening sound of drum or trumpet, after which the roll is called, and all soldiers not on leave of absence should be in their quarters.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. tattoo

   The evening sound of drum or trumpet, after which the roll is called, and all soldiers not on leave of absence should be in their quarters.

Matched Categories

1. • Bugle Call
   • Design
   • Drumbeat
   • Stain

How to pronounce tattoo?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say tattoo in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of tattoo in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of tattoo in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of tattoo in a Sentence

1. Joe Exotic ex-husband:

   Overall, it was good but there were quite a few parts I didn't agree with, they should have done follow-through stories at the end. They made me look like a drugged-out hillbilly. They didn't even show my new teeth or the actual tattoo finished. There was quite a bit they didn't even touch on.

2. Tony Gibert:

   I think its amazing to be able to comfort your son like that, its more than just your kid seeing your name, or something, you get to actually, like, really change the way he feels about himself. TEXAS MOM WRITES SANTA LETTERS FOR FRONT-LINE PARENTS However, the process wasnt a walk in the park. In total, it took about 30 hours over the course of six to eight weeks to complete the tattoo.

3. Jennifer Lawrence:

   I call this tattoo a watered-down rebellion, i was with Liam’s family and everybody was getting tattoos. And I was like, ‘Well, I’m always going to need to be hydrated.’ So I guess I should just get H2O on my hand.

4. Justin Rohrwasser:

   I got that tattoo when I was a teenager and I have a lot of family in the military and I thought it stood for a military support symbol at the time, it just evolved into something I do not want to represent. When I look back on it, I should have done way more research before I put any mark or symbol like that on my body.

5. Liberty Institute:

   If the government can order a Marine not to display a Bible verse, they could try and order her not to get a religious tattoo, or go to church on Sunday, restricting a Marine’s free exercise of religion is blatantly unconstitutional.

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