tattoo
gb/tætˈu/ us/tætˈu/
B1
English
~ 8200
tetoválás, tetovál, katonai zenés parádé
NOUN
B1
1
tetoválás
B1
Usage pattern:
to get [a] tattoo [on body part]
She has a small butterfly tattoo on her ankle.
Egy kis pillangótetoválás van a bokáján.
He got a dragon tattoo across his entire back.
Egy sárkánytetoválást csináltatott, amely az egész hátát beborítja.
The company requires employees to cover any visible tattoos at work.
After a few years, he decided to have his tattoo removed with laser treatment.
The tattoo on her wrist has a special meaning for her family.
Learner examples
I want to get a tattoo on my arm.
Szeretnék tetoválást csináltatni a karomra.
He has three tattoos on his left leg.
Három tetoválás van a bal lábán.
My sister’s tattoo is a flower with her name.
This job does not allow big tattoos on the neck.
She showed me the new tattoo on her shoulder.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"do a tattoo"* or *"make a tattoo"* instead of *"get a tattoo"* (for the person receiving it) or *"give a tattoo"* / *"tattoo someone"* (for the artist). Another common error is using *"tattoo of"* for location, e.g. *"a tattoo of my arm"*; the correct forms are *"a tattoo on my arm"* (location) and *"a tattoo of a cat"* (what the tattoo shows).
Meaning
permanent ink design on skin
Collocations
get a tattoo
|have a tattoo
|tattoo artist
|tattoo parlor
|tattoo removal
|full-sleeve tattoo
Synonyms
ink (Informal; often used especially in US English to refer to tattoos in general, not each individual design.)
|
body art (Broader; can include piercings or other decoration, not only tattoos.)
|
skin art (Less common; emphasizes the artistic aspect of tattoos.)
Antonyms
unmarked skin (Describes skin without any tattoos or similar permanent markings.)
|
temporary tattoo (Contrasts with permanence; a design on the skin that washes or wears off.)
Themes
appearance
|body
|culture
|arts_entertainment
Definition
A picture or design on the skin that is made with needles and ink and does not wash off.
A permanent design or picture made in the skin by putting ink under the surface with needles.
VERB
B1
2
tetovál
B1
Usage pattern:
to tattoo [something] on [body part]
The artist tattooed a detailed lion on his chest.
A művész egy részletes oroszlánt tetovált a mellkasára.
She plans to have her children’s names tattooed on her wrist.
Azt tervezi, hogy a gyerekei nevét a csuklójára tetováltatja.
He has been tattooing clients for over twenty years.
They refused to tattoo anyone who appeared drunk.
The studio specializes in tattooing realistic portraits.
Learner examples
My friend will tattoo a small star on my hand.
A barátom egy kis csillagot fog tetoválni a kezemre.
She wants a professional artist to tattoo her back.
Azt szeretné, hogy egy profi tetoválóművész készítsen tetoválást a hátára.
He tattooed a red heart on his leg.
The man in the shop only tattoos people over eighteen.
She learned how to tattoo people at a busy studio.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse *"tattoo"* (verb) and *"draw"* or *"paint"*. You *draw* or *paint* on paper or on the surface of the skin, but you *tattoo* when the ink goes under the skin and is permanent. Another mistake is wrong word order, such as *"tattoo on my arm a cat"*; more natural is *"tattoo a cat on my arm"*.
Meaning
to make a tattoo on skin
Collocations
tattoo someone
|tattoo an arm
|tattoo a design
|professionally tattooed
|tattoo words on [body part]
Synonyms
ink (Informal verb; used mainly in speech like *"He inked my first sleeve"*; slightly slangy and context-dependent.)
|
mark (More general; means to put any kind of sign on something, not specifically a tattoo.)
Antonyms
remove (Refers to taking an existing tattoo off the skin, often by laser treatment.)
|
erase (General removal of marks; used figuratively for getting rid of tattoos, e.g. *"erase an old tattoo"*.)
Themes
appearance
|work
|body
|arts_entertainment
Definition
To use needles and ink to put a permanent picture or design on a person’s skin.
To make a permanent design or picture in someone’s skin by putting ink under the surface with needles.
NOUN
C1
3
Usage pattern:
to attend [a] military tattoo
Thousands of visitors travel to Scotland each year for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Évente több ezer látogató utazik Skóciába az Edinburgh Military Tattoo nevű katonai zenés parádéra.
The city hosted an international military tattoo featuring bands from five countries.
A város nemzetközi katonai zenés parádét rendezett, amelyen öt ország zenekarai szerepeltek.
Tickets for the evening tattoo sold out weeks in advance.
The tattoo ended with a dramatic fireworks display over the castle.
She performed as a drummer in the annual military tattoo.
Learner examples
We went to a big military tattoo in the city.
Elmentünk egy nagy katonai zenés parádéra a városban.
The tattoo had many bands from different countries.
A katonai zenés parádén sok zenekar szerepelt különböző országokból.
My brother played the trumpet in the tattoo.
After the tattoo, there was a fireworks show.
People came from far away to see the tattoo.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this meaning is related to ink on the skin, but a *military tattoo* is a public show with marching and music. The word is often capitalized as part of a name, such as *"the Edinburgh Tattoo"*.
Meaning
military music and marching show
Collocations
military tattoo
|Edinburgh Tattoo
|annual tattoo
|international tattoo
|tattoo performance
Synonyms
military parade (Similar but broader; may not focus as much on music and performance as a tattoo does.)
|
military display (General term for public performance by armed forces; not always musical.)
Antonyms
civilian concert (A music show with no military connection, contrasting with a military tattoo.)
Themes
events
|military
|music
|arts_entertainment
|travel
Definition
A big show where soldiers and military bands march and play music for the public.
A large public event where military bands and other units perform music, marching, and displays, often in the evening.
Grammar
Dictionary form
tattoo
IPA
GB/tætˈu/
US/tætˈu/
Syllables & stress
tat - too (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (too)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: tattoo
- Plural: tattoos
Verb
- Base: tattoo
- 3rd Person Singular: tattooes
- Present Participle: tattooing
- Past: tattooed
- Past Participle: tattooed
Word family
Forms
tattoos
noun
tattooes
verb
tattooing
verb
tattooed
verb
Core family
tattooist
noun
Negative and opposite forms
untattooed
adjective
Expressions
get a tattoo
1/ɡˈɛt ə tætˈu/
fixed phrase
receive a tattoo on your body
To go to a tattoo artist so they put a permanent design on your skin.
Examples
- I want to get a tattoo to celebrate my graduation.
- She got a tattoo on her ankle during her trip to Bali.
- He regrets getting that tattoo when he was sixteen.
have a tattoo
1/hˈæv ə tætˈu/
fixed phrase
possess a tattoo on the body
To have a permanent picture or design on your skin that was made with needles and ink.
Examples
- Do you have any tattoos on your arms or legs?
- She has a tattoo on her wrist that shows her son’s birthday.
- Many chefs have tattoos that show their love of food.
tattoo artist
1/tætˈu ˈɑɹtɪst/
fixed phrase
professional who creates tattoos
A person whose job is to make tattoos on people’s skin.
Examples
- The tattoo artist showed me several designs to choose from.
- Good tattoo artists always talk to clients about safety and aftercare.
- She works as a tattoo artist in a small studio downtown.
tattoo removal
1/tætˈu ɹɪmˈuvəl/
fixed phrase
process of removing a tattoo
A medical or beauty treatment to take off or make lighter a tattoo on the skin.
Examples
- She is saving money for laser tattoo removal.
- Tattoo removal usually takes several sessions and can be painful.
- Many clinics now offer tattoo removal services.
tattoo sleeve
1/tætˈu slˈiv/
fixed phrase
tattoo covering most of an arm
A large tattoo, or many tattoos together, that cover almost all of someone’s arm.
Examples
- He has a colorful tattoo sleeve on his left arm.
- She is slowly building a tattoo sleeve with different flower designs.
- The artist specializes in black-and-grey tattoo sleeves.
tattoo studio
1/tætˈu stˈudioʊ/
fixed phrase
professional workspace for tattooing
A professional place where tattoo artists work and give people tattoos.
Examples
- She booked an appointment at a well-known tattoo studio.
- The tattoo studio displays photos of the artists’ best work.
- He used to run a small tattoo studio with his brother.
temporary tattoo
1/tˈɛmpɚˌɛɹi tætˈu/
fixed phrase
non-permanent tattoo-like design
A picture on the skin that looks like a tattoo but is not permanent and comes off after some days or washes.
Examples
- The children put on temporary tattoos at the birthday party.
- He tried a temporary tattoo first to see if he liked the design.
- Temporary tattoos are popular at music festivals.
tattoo parlor
1/tætˈu pˈɑɹlɚ/
fixed phrase
shop where tattoos are done
A shop or business where people go to get tattoos.
Examples
- They opened a new tattoo parlor near the train station.
- She got her first tattoo at a small tattoo parlor near campus.
- The tattoo parlor was clean and followed all health rules.
- The new tattoo parlor has very strict hygiene standards.
- He walked past the bright neon sign of a tattoo parlor.