tan
A light, brown-like colour.
Noun 4 meanings
A light, brown-like colour.
A darkening of the skin resulting from exposure to sunlight or similar light sources.
“She still has a tan from her vacation in Mexico.”
The bark of an oak or other tree from which tannic acid is obtained.
Synonym of wall ball.
Adjective 2 meanings
Yellowish-brown.
“Mine is the white car parked next to the tan pickup truck.”
Having dark skin as a result of exposure to the sun or an artificial process intended to mimic this effect.
“You’re looking very tan this week.”
Verb 4 meanings
To change to a tan colour due to exposure to the sun.
“No matter how long I stay out in the sun, I never tan, though I do burn.”
To change an animal hide into leather by soaking it in tannic acid.
To work as a tanner.
To spank or beat.
Etymology
From Middle English tan, from Old French tan (“tanbark”), from Gaulish *tannos (“green oak”) – compare Breton tann (“red oak”), Old Cornish tannen –, from Proto-Celtic *tannos (“green oak”), of uncertain origin, but perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *(s)dʰonu (“fir”).
Similar and opposite words
TAN at a glance
TAN has 3 letters and scores 3 points in Scrabble (T 1 + A 1 + N 1) and 4 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #6,959 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with tan
All rhymes- METROPOLITAN16
- MANHATTAN14
- STAN4
- TITAN5
- SULTAN6
- SPARTAN9
- COSMOPOLITAN18
- SAMARITAN11
- PURITAN9
- TARTAN6
- ORANGUTAN10
- NEAPOLITAN12
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