tartan

tartan — noun

1. a design of colourful straight lines that cross one another at right angles to f

1.名詞B1
釋義

a design of colourful straight lines that cross one another at right angles to form a set of squares, traditionally woven into woollen cloth in Scotland and used as a symbol of a particular family or region

例句

Trang wore a green-and-red tartan scarf to the winter festival.

collocation: tartan + garment (scarf, skirt, tie)

Each Scottish clan has its own unique tartan pattern with specific colours.

同義詞
  • plaid

    often used interchangeably, though 'plaid' in American English can refer to any checked pattern, while 'tartan' retains the Scottish origin and clan association

  • check

    a simpler grid pattern without the specific Scottish cultural or clan meaning

  • tweed

    a rough woollen fabric from Scotland, but with a plain or herringbone weave rather than a crossed-colour pattern

用法筆記

'tartan' is countable when referring to a specific pattern (e.g. 'the MacGregor tartan'), and uncountable when referring to the fabric or material in general (e.g. 'made of tartan'). The plural 'tartans' means different patterns belonging to various clans.

常見錯誤

❌She bought a tartan checkered fabric.
✅She bought a tartan fabric.
💡'tartan' already describes the crisscross pattern; adding 'checkered' is redundant.
❌I wear a tartan every Saint Andrew's Day.' (meaning a garment)
✅I wear a tartan scarf every Saint Andrew's Day.
💡'tartan' alone as a noun refers to the fabric or pattern, not a garment made from it.