Definition of TARN

tarn

Plural: tarns

Noun

  • A small mountain lake, typically formed in a cirque.
  • a mountain lake (especially one formed by glaciers)
  • A small mountain lake, especially in Northern England.
  • One of many small mountain lakes or ponds.

Examples

  • The small word TARN fit perfectly into the last available spot on the Scrabble board.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English terne, tarne (“lake; pond, pool”), from Old Norse tjǫrn (“a small lake without tributaries”), from Proto-Germanic *ternō (“water hole”), perhaps related to *turnaz (“bitter, embittered”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *der- (“to separate, split; to crack, shatter”). The word is cognate with Danish tjern, Faroese tjørn (“pond”), Icelandic tjörn (“pond”), Norwegian Bokmål tjern (“small forest or mountain lake”) (Norwegian Nynorsk tjern, tjørn), Swedish tjärn (“small forest lake”).

Scrabble Score: 4

tarn: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
tarn: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
tarn: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 5

tarn: valid Words With Friends Word