BACK-TAN Meaning of BACK-TAN in English ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ transitive verbEtymology: back (II): to treat (dyed material) with tannin in order to fix the dye• back-tanning ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ noun -s Webster's New International English Dictionary. Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster. 2012