tatau (plural tataus)

1. A Samoan tattoo.
   • 2023, Chelsea Camaron, Mako:

     The traditional Samoan Tataus that cover the middle of my back down to my knees are no longer visible in the videos.

• IPA^(key): /taˈtau/ [tɐˈtɐʉ]

From Proto-Polynesian *tatau₃ – compare with Rarotongan tatau, Samoan tatau and tāu, Tongan tatau.^[1][2] (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

tatau

1. to squeeze or wring out liquid^[1]

   Synonyms: kutē, takawiri

From Proto-Polynesian *tau₃ (compare with Tahitian tatau) – could also be partial reduplication of tau (compare with Samoan tau “to count”).^[1][2] (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

tatau (passive tatauria or tatauhia or tataungia)

1. to count, to tally

tatau

1. number, tally
2. count, score

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

tatau

1. to draw, to slide

   Synonyms: tō, kume

   1. to shut a door

tatau

1. door

• Williams, Herbert William (1917), “tatau”, in A Dictionary of the Maori Language, pages 462-4
• “tatau” in John C. Moorfield, Te Aka: Maori–English, English–Maori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, 2011, →ISBN.

From Proto-Polynesian *tatau₃.^[1] (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

tatau

1. to wring out (of a wet cloth, coconut meat)

tatau

1. special strainer from bundles of coconut fibre used to wring out milk from coconut meat

From Proto-Polynesian *tatau₁ from Proto-Oceanic *sau₃ “flying fox wingbone”.

tatau

1. tattoo

From Proto-Polynesian *tatau₃.^[1] (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

tatau

1. to wring out (of a wet cloth, kava, coconut milk)

   Synonym: tāu

2. to squeeze out juice from fruit

From Proto-Polynesian *tatau₃^[1] (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

tatau

1. to squeeze or wring out liquid (juice from fruit, coconut milk)

Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=tatau&oldid=89176474"