/ təˈtuː; NAmE tæˈtuː/ noun , verb
■ noun ( pl. tat·toos )
1.
a picture or design that is marked permanently on a person's skin by making small holes in the skin with a needle and filling them with coloured ink :
His arms were covered in tattoos.
2.
( especially BrE ) an outdoor show by members of the armed forces that includes marching, music and military exercises
3.
[ usually sing. ] a rapid and continuous series of taps or hits, especially on a drum as a military signal
■ verb
[ vn ] tattoo A on B | tattoo B (with A) to mark sb's skin with a tattoo :
He had a heart tattooed on his shoulder.
His shoulder was tattooed with a heart.
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WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 2 to 3 mid 17th cent. (originally as tap-too ) from Dutch taptoe! , literally close the tap (of the cask)!.
noun sense 1 and verb mid 18th cent.: from Tahitian , Tongan , and Samoan ta-tau or Marquesan ta-tu . Marquesan is the Polynesian language of the Marquesas Islands in the South Pacific.