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
Customers can buy wool and tartan clothing, as well as Scottish souvenirs like hip flasks, at the traditional 19th-century retailer.
—
Brendan Le, People.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Their oversized tartan coats bring a bold, countryside-meets-city vibe to the season’s trends.
—Julie Loffredi, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
The blood, after all, was a cheery red color that matched the plaid motif in my Pottery Barn tartan placemats.
—Sherry Kuehl, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2025
The tartan set was from Miu Miu and cost $4,500 ($2,250 for the skirt and $2,250 for the top).
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tartan 
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Brendan Le, People.com, 13 Jan. 2025
Their oversized tartan coats bring a bold, countryside-meets-city vibe to the season’s trends.
—Julie Loffredi, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
The blood, after all, was a cheery red color that matched the plaid motif in my Pottery Barn tartan placemats.
—Sherry Kuehl, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2025
The tartan set was from Miu Miu and cost $4,500 ($2,250 for the skirt and $2,250 for the top).
—David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tartan
Dictionary Entries Near tartan
Cite this Entry
“Tartan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tartan. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tartan
noun
tar·tan
ˈtärt-ᵊn 
1
: a plaid textile design of Scottish origin
2
: a fabric or garment with tartan design
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