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tam-o'-shan·ter

(tămə-shăn′tər)

A Scottish cap with a snug headband and a loose crown, sometimes having a pompom, tassel, or feather in the center.

[After the hero of "Tam o' Shanter," a poem by Robert Burns .]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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