tattoo
/tæˈtuː/
noun
Origin
Polynesian (Tahitian/Samoan)
tatau — to mark, strike
Overview
Meaning Now
- A permanent design or mark made on the skin by pricking and ingraining an indelible pigment.
- A rhythmic tapping or drumming, or a military signal sounded on a bugle or drum.
Literal older meaning
to mark or strike
Language path
Polynesian → English
Earliest form
tattow
Earliest period
18th century
Journey
The word entered English via the journals of Captain James Cook, who observed the practice in Tahiti. It replaced older English terms like 'pricking' or 'staining' the skin. Separately, 'tattoo' (the military signal) comes from an unrelated Dutch source, 'taptoe' ('close the tap'), referring to an instruction for taverns to stop serving beer.
Evolution
- Polynesian
tatau
“to tap, to strike, to mark”
Used to describe the percussive sound of tools hitting the skin.
- 1769 English
tattow
“a mark on the skin”
Adopted into English following Captain Cook's South Pacific voyages.
- Modern English
tattoo
“permanent body art”
Standardized spelling.
Connections
Related across languages
Tahitian
tatau
to strike or mark
Samoan
tatau
to mark or tattoo
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.