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2300 entries found
tag (n.1)
"small, hanging piece from a garment," c. 1400, of uncertain origin but probably from a Scandinavian source (compare Norwegian tagg "point, prong, barb," Swedish tagg "prickle, thorn") and related to Middle Low German tagge "branch, twig, spike"), from Proto-Germanic *tag-. The sense development might be "point of metal at the end of a cord, string, etc.," hence "part hanging loose." Or perhaps ultimately from PIE *dek-, a root forming words referring to fringe, horsetail, locks of hair" (see with tail (n.1)).

Meaning "a label" is first recorded 1835; sense of "automobile licence-plate" is recorded from 1935, originally underworld slang. Meaning "an epithet, popular designation" is recorded from 1961, hence slang verb meaning "write graffiti in public places" (1990).
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tag (v.1)
"to furnish with a tag," late 14c. (implied in tagged), from tag (n.1). Meaning "go along as a follower" is from 1670s; sense of "follow closely and persistently" is from 1884. Related: Tagging. Verbal phrase tag along is first recorded 1900.
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tag (v.2)
"a touch in the game of tag," 1878; in baseball, 1904, from tag (n.2); the adjective in the pro-wrestling sense is recorded from 1955. Related: Tagged; tagging.
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Tagalog (n.)
people living near Manila in the Philippines, also their language, 1704, from Tagalog taga "native to" + ilog "river."
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tagliatelle (n.)
1876, from Italian tagliatelle, plural noun from tagliare "to cut" (see entail).
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tagline (n.)
"punchline of a joke," 1926, originally "last line in an actor's speech" (1916), from tag (n.1) + line (n.).
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tahini (n.)
from Arabic tahina, from tahana "to grind or crush."
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Tahiti 
from native Polynesian Otahiti, of uncertain meaning. It was called in turn Sagittaria (1606, by the Portuguese), King George III Island (1767, by the British), Nouvelle-Cythère (1768, by the French). Related: Tahitian.
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Tahoe 
Lake on the Nevada-California border, from Washo /da'aw/ "lake."
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Tai (n.)
group of people of related ethnicity and language in Southeast Asia, including the Thai, Lao, and Shan, from tai, literally "free."
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