French word

tatouer

Pronunciation

IPA/tatwe/

Meaning

  • verbtattoo

Example

Mon oncle s'est tatoué le bras quand il était jeune.

When he was young, my uncle got his arm tattooed.

Illustration for tatouer (tattoo)

More examples

Je veux me faire tatouer un motif discret.

I want to have a discreet design tattooed.

Core concept

A needle places ink beneath skin so a lasting design remains on the body.

Common phrases

  • se faire tatouer

    get tattooed

Similar words

percer: Pierce the skin or ear so that jewelry can pass through.
dessiner: Use lines to draw a picture or design on paper, fabric, or skin.
marquer: Place a distinguishing mark or visible trace on an object or the skin.
peindre: Apply paint to a surface to form a picture or decorative design.

Definition in French

Marquer la peau de dessins permanents en injectant de l'encre à l'aide d'une aiguille.

Word origin

French tatouer was borrowed through English tattoo, which came from Tahitian tatau and entered European languages during eighteenth-century voyages.

Usage tips

  • Tatouer quelqu'un means to tattoo someone, while se tatouer can mean to tattoo oneself and se faire tatouer often means to have someone do it.

Related words

  • tatouagetattoonoun
  • tatoueurtattoo artistnoun
  • tatouétattooedadjective

Word lists with this word