tan

1 of 4

verb

tanned; tanning

transitive verb

1
: to make (skin) tan especially by exposure to the sun
2
a
: to convert (hide) into leather by treatment with an infusion of tannin-rich bark or other agent of similar effect
b
: to convert (protein) to leather or a similar substance
3

intransitive verb

: to get or become tan

tan

2 of 4

adjective

tanner; tannest
1
: of the color tan
2
: of, relating to, or used for tan or tanning

tan

3 of 4

noun

1
: a brown color imparted to the skin especially by exposure to the sun
2
: a light yellowish brown
3
tans plural : tan-colored articles of clothing
4
: a tanning material or its active agent (such as tannin)

tan

4 of 4

abbreviation

tangent

Examples of tan in a Sentence

Adjective I can't believe how tan she is! a horse with tan markings Noun I got a tan on my vacation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Risk factors that may contribute to this finding include better awareness of skin cancer, more sun exposure and greater use of tanning salons. Joshua Cohen, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 Joe Flacco is tanned, rested, and ready for a playoff run. Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 8 Jan. 2024 Her Bonnie is buoyant and loose, tanned and laughing. Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2024 Commenting on the TikTok trend, New York dermatologist Dr. Fayne Frey, M.D., shared some cautions about the tanning applications. Brittany Kasko, Fox News, 14 Feb. 2024 Features: Options include sun decks, tanning ledges, waterfalls, bubblers, fountains, water arcs and zero-entry. Angie Hicks, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2024 Recently, a team of professional archaeologists working for Elizabeth Anderson Comer investigated the tannery site at the Union Mills Homestead hoping to find where the tanning vats were located in an area with no visible clues. Mary Ann Ashcraft, Baltimore Sun, 27 Jan. 2024 Caucasians and those of lighter skin types — blond or red hair and light eyes, especially — are more likely to burn than tan under solar radiation, while those of darker skin type are more likely to tan without risk of burn. Keyvan Nouri, M.d., Jessica Cervantes and John Tsatalis, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Shrivers engaged in tanning included Andrew’s nephew, Francis Shriver, who worked at Union Mills before operating his own tannery in Westminster into the 1850s. Samuel M. Riley, Baltimore Sun, 13 Jan. 2024
Adjective
This park is an option for locals looking for an open space to ride a bike, take kids to a playground, lay on the grass and get tan, walk around Mission Bay, grab something to eat or sip on an adult beverage. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024 Renderings show the development will feature light tan brick on the outside and big, open windows and balconies. The Enquirer, 21 Mar. 2024 The tan and white space also features extensive woodwork—including a shawl panel that is the largest continuous wood section ever seen in a Rolls—that took 8,000 hours to complete. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 29 Feb. 2024 Stepping onto the field in a tan blazer, black shirt beaded fringe jeans and a giant belt buckle, the country legend, 68, delivered a moving rendition of the national anthem. Brendan Le, Peoplemag, 11 Feb. 2024 Allen matched his girlfriend in tan pants and a tan jacket with a white Prada shirt underneath. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 However, investigators did find a tan leather knife sheath at the scene, and the Idaho State Lab found a single source of male DNA on the button snap of the sheath, according to a probable cause affidavit. Eric Levenson, CNN, 28 Feb. 2024 Combining luxury materials with marble, tan leather, and maple creates a luxurious but calming space for onboard work commitments. Gemma Harris, Robb Report, 22 Feb. 2024 The conceit was literal: actors playing the two thinkers—Confucius dressed in a tan robe and Karl Marx in a black suit and a leonine white wig—met at the Yuelu Academy, a thousand-year-old school renowned for its role in developing Confucian philosophy. Rana Mitter, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Noun
Soon my weekly lesson with the new pro in the Hamptons—a kind, warm, cute, and funny guy with an awe-inspiring tan—was the only thing getting me from nap time to bedtime. Zibby Owens, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2024 The helpers In Herriman, tidy rows of houses sprawl in tans and bluish-grays, the same colors seen in a nearby mountain range. Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Mar. 2024 Choose from neutrals like white, gray, and tan, or opt for more vivid solids like mint green and lavender. Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 The dreamy collection includes overcoats, jackets, shirts and dresses in pale pink with tan, and dark brown, sometimes with a pretty applique of petals or jewels. Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Shown in scout tan $395 $237 at Paravel Paravel Aviator Grand Checked Luggage Shown in safari green $475 at Paravel Shown in atlas tan $115 $81 at Paravel Peugeot Voyages: Take 30 percent off sitewide now through November 28. Samsonite: Samsonite is offering 30 percent off through November 28. Meaghan Kenny, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Nov. 2023 But in achieving them, Francis was working against a technology that, used unthinkingly, would have changed her skin tone into a middling gray — the skin tone, say, of a white model with a nice tan. Blake Gopnik, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2024 His father, wearing a tan suit, is laughing in the background. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024 Colorways of red, cream, black, and neutrals like light and dark tans were featured. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 5 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English tannen, from Anglo-French tanner, from Medieval Latin tannare, from tanum, tannum tanbark

Noun

French, tanbark, from Old French, from Medieval Latin tanum

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2a

Adjective

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1674, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler
The first known use of tan was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near tan

Cite this Entry

“Tan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tan. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tan

1 of 3 verb
tanned; tanning
1
: to change hide into leather especially by soaking in a tannin solution
2
: to make or become tan or brown especially by exposing to the sun
3

tan

2 of 3 adjective
tanner; tannest
: of the color tan

tan

3 of 3 noun
1
: a brown color given to the skin especially by exposure to the sun
2
: a light yellowish brown
tannish
ˈtan-ish
adjective

Medical Definition

tan

1 of 2 verb
tanned; tanning

transitive verb

: to make (skin) tan especially by exposure to the sun

intransitive verb

: to get or become tanned

tan

2 of 2 noun
: a brown color imparted to the skin by exposure to the sun or wind

More from Merriam-Webster on tan

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