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# tartan

«tartan» in Mova's school dictionary: **a pattern of coloured stripes crossing each other at…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 1 sentence of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a tartan, tartans; also uncountable); adjective (tartan)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Tartan is a pattern of coloured stripes crossing each other at right angles, making squares; it is woven into woollen cloth, especially in Scotland. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tartan/#m1)

2) A tartan is one particular pattern belonging to a Scottish clan (family group), region or organisation. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tartan/#m2)

3) Tartan describes things made of this cloth: a tartan kilt, a tartan scarf. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tartan/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In geography and history lessons about Scotland, tartan is part of Highland culture: kilts, clans and bagpipes. Each clan, like MacDonald or Campbell, has its own tartan, and some countries and towns have one too. In maths and art, tartan is a fun way to study patterns, symmetry and right angles. Phrases: tartan kilt, clan tartan, the Tartan Army (Scotland's football fans), tartan rug.

### examples

- He wore a tartan kilt at the wedding. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tartan/#x1)
- Every Scottish clan has its own tartan. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tartan/#x2)
- Grandma wrapped a tartan rug around her knees. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tartan/#x3)
- The tartan pattern has lines that cross at right angles. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tartan/#x4)
- Our class designed a new tartan for our school. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tartan/#x5)
- The Tartan Army sang loudly at the football match. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tartan/#x6)
- The shortbread tin was covered in red tartan. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tartan/#x7)
- Tartan was once banned in the Scottish Highlands for a time. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tartan/#x8)

### note

Countable (many tartans, different patterns) or uncountable (a scarf made of tartan). Pronounced «TAR-tun». Americans often call the pattern «plaid»; in Scotland a «plaid» is actually a large piece of tartan cloth worn over the shoulder. Do not confuse with «tartar» (a crust on teeth, or tartare sauce).

### In the corpora

- [Some old fool's-errand jokes, like «tartan paint», are a harmless tradition when the person laughs in the end.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/439-cruel-pranks-and-where-the-line-is/41/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «tartan» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tartan/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.