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tar·tan²

(tärtn, tär-tăn)

A small, single-masted Mediterranean ship with a large lateen sail.

[French tartane, from Provençal tartano, from Old Provençal tartana, buzzard, of imitative origin.]

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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