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tattoo

noun · verb

Simple meaning

An image made on a body part, usually the skin with ink and a needle.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

tatoo

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US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

tæˈtu

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. An image made on a body part, usually the skin with ink and a needle.

  2. A design on the skin made by tattooing

  3. A method of decorating a body part, usually the skin, by inserting colored substances under the surface with a sharp instrument (usually a solenoid-driven needle).

  4. A pony of a certain breed from India.

verb

  1. To tap rhythmically on, to drum.

  2. To apply a tattoo to (someone or something).

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
Frequency
Moderately Common
Typical Use
Varies by meaning

More ways to use tattoo

  • “She got a small butterfly tattoo on her wrist last year.”

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Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

Image / method

rose tattooblue tattoo

Other combinations

tattoo artisttattoo parlortattoo removalamalgam tattoomilitary tattootattoo mark

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.