tartan

Woven woollen fabric with a distinctive pattern of coloured stripes intersecting at right angles originally associated with Scottish Highlanders, now with different clans (though this only dates from the late 18th century) and some Scottish families and institutions having their own patterns; (countable) a particular type of such fabric.

A pattern used on such fabric.

Clothing made from this fabric.

(figurative) An individual who wears tartan; specifically, a Scottish Highlander, or a Scottish person (chiefly a Scotsman) in general.

(figurative) Preceded by the: a group of people customarily wearing tartan; Scottish Highlanders or Scottish people collectively; also, the soldiers of a Scottish Highland regiment collectively.

[before a noun] Originally a trade name in the form Tartan: a synthetic resin used for surfacing ramps, running tracks, etc.

(UK, figurative) A young person who is a member of a Protestant gang in Northern Ireland.

(figurative) A type of fly used in fly fishing, often to catch salmon.

A type of one-masted vessel with a lateen sail and a foresail, used in the Mediterranean.

(Scotland) Ellipsis of tartan-purry (“a porridge made from cabbage mixed with oatmeal”).

To clothe (someone) in tartan.

To apply a tartan pattern to (something).

(figurative) To make (something) Scottish, or more Scottish; to tartanize.

Made of tartan, or having a distinctive pattern of coloured stripes intersecting at right angles like a that of a tartan.

(humorous, figurative) Of or relating to Scotland, its culture, or people; Scottish.