Language · 2
The word 'tattoo' comes from which Polynesian language?
Answer
Samoan
'Tattoo' comes from Samoan 'tatau.' European explorers adopted the word in the 18th century after encountering the body art tradition in Polynesian cultures.
💡 Did you know?
Captain James Cook's crew brought the Samoan word 'tattoo' back to Europe, forever changing how English speakers described the ancient art.
Other options people guess
- Hawaiian
- Maori
- Tahitian
Topics
- etymology
- Samoan
- body art
Know your language trivia?
Play a free Language quiz and see how many you get right — no signup needed to start.
More Language facts
Language
The word 'pizza' originated in which country?
Tomatoes weren't added to pizza until the 1700s after they were imported from the Americas—the ingredient revolutionized Italian cuisine.
Language
The word 'angst,' meaning deep anxiety, originated in which language?
'Angst' is a deep, existential anxiety—not just everyday worry—reflecting German philosophy's exploration of human dread.
Language
The word 'vaquero,' the Spanish ancestor of the English 'buckaroo,' means what?
American cowboy culture borrowed heavily from Spanish vaquero traditions—the saddle, lasso, and even the word 'buckaroo' prove Spanish influence.
Language
What word, meaning an automated machine, originated from Czech playwright Karel Čapek?
Čapek's play 'R.U.R.' (Rossum's Universal Robots) introduced the word 'robot' to the world and explored artificial life themes.
Language
What is the origin of the word 'kindergarten'?
Fröbel coined 'kindergarten' to describe his educational approach focusing on play-based learning for young children.
Language
What is the etymology of the word 'silhouette,' named after a French official?
Silhouettes became popular as inexpensive art during Silhouette's time, and people mocked his financial policies by naming cheap art after him.