Where does “tattoo” come from?
Tattoo comes from Samoan tatau, borrowed into English via Dutch toe, from Middle Dutch toe and Old Dutch tuo, thuo, tracing back to Proto-Indo-European de and dʰeh₁-.
tattoo (English): An image made in the skin with ink and a needle;...
Definitions
- An image made in the skin with ink and a needle;...
Ancestry of “tattoo”, step by step
tattoo traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English tap-to
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | tap-to | — |
| 2 | Dutch | taptoe | tattoo, military-style music parade; sign given... |
| 3 | Dutch | tap | tap |
| 4 | Middle Dutch | tappe | closing pin, stopper |
| 5 | Old Dutch | tappo | — |
| 6 | Frankish | tappō | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | tappô | plug; tap |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂p- | to sacrifice; to lose |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂- | to share, divide |
via Hindi टट्टू
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hindi | टट्टू | pony |