noun
Uncommon
tat
tat
Tat (noun) means (informal, chiefly British) Cheap, tacky, or poor-quality items; junk or trinkets. Example: “The seaside gift shop was full of tat — keyrings, snow globes, the lot.”
noun
1
(informal, chiefly British) Cheap, tacky, or poor-quality items; junk or trinkets.
"The seaside gift shop was full of tat — keyrings, snow globes, the lot."
"He cleared a garage full of old tat before the move."
2
(informal, British) A tattoo.
"She showed off her new tat on her forearm."
verb
1
To make lace or trim by knotting thread in a decorative pattern (tatting).
"Her grandmother still tats delicate lace edging by hand."
How to use tat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCheap, low-value stuff — or, separately, a tattoo or the craft of knotting decorative lace.
When to use it
Informal, mostly British usage in the "junk" and "tattoo" senses.
Common pairings
a load of tat
cheap tat
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Word forms
- Plural
- tats
- Third person singular
- tats
- Past tense
- tatted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The seaside gift shop was full of _____ — keyrings, snow globes, the lot.
Etymology
The "junk" sense traces back to a Hindi word for coarse canvas cloth (ṭāṭ); the lace-making sense is a separate word thought to come from Scandinavian roots.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for tat
See all rhymes for tat →Frequently asked questions
What does “tat” mean?
The word “tat” means (informal, chiefly British) Cheap, tacky, or poor-quality items; junk or trinkets. In plain terms, cheap, low-value stuff — or, separately, a tattoo or the craft of knotting decorative lace.
How do you pronounce “tat”?
“Tat” is pronounced tat (/tæt/ in IPA).
How do you use “tat” in a sentence?
Here is “tat” used in a sentence: “The seaside gift shop was full of tat — keyrings, snow globes, the lot.”
What part of speech is “tat”?
Depending on how it is used, “tat” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “tat” come from?
The word “tat” comes from Hindi. The "junk" sense traces back to a Hindi word for coarse canvas cloth (ṭāṭ); the lace-making sense is a separate word thought to come from Scandinavian roots.
Is “tat” a common word?
“Tat” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “tat” have?
“Tat” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: (informal, chiefly British) Cheap, tacky, or poor-quality items; junk or trinkets.
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