What does tass mean?
Tass is chiefly a noun naming a small ornamental tuft of silk or a similar material, such as one attached to a cap, uniform, garment, or cord. Such tufts can serve a decorative purpose or indicate rank, affiliation, ceremonial dress, or traditional style. The word is especially associated with British English, although it is recognized in American English as a variant of the now more common spelling tassel. A tass may be described by its colour or material, as in a silk or gold tass, and its plural is tasses. Tass also has an older, chiefly Scottish sense meaning a small drinking cup, but that sense is rare today and generally has a historical or regional flavour. In contemporary writing, the ornamental sense is by far the most familiar, and the word often gives a traditional, formal, or ceremonial impression.
nounA small ornamental tuft of silk or similar material, typically attached to a cap, garment, or cord. In older chiefly Scottish usage, a small drinking cup.
- A small tuft of silk or similar ornamental material attached to a cap, garment, or cord.
- A small drinking cup, chiefly in older Scottish usage and now rare or archaic.
"The guide's ceremonial cap had a gold tass hanging from its crown."
"The guide's ceremonial cap had a gold tass hanging from its crown."
"The old Scottish story tells of a traveller being offered a tass of ale."
The standard plural adds -es and is used for multiple tufts or, in the older Scottish sense, multiple small cups.
"Gold tasses hung from the ceremonial cord."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of tass
The ornamental sense of tass developed as a chiefly British variant of tassel. Tassel entered English from French and is historically related to tassette and ultimately to French tasse, meaning cup. Tass also has an older chiefly Scottish sense for a small drinking cup, reflecting the same French word's cup meaning, although the two recorded senses are distinct in modern usage.
How tass is actually used
The word tends to occur in descriptions of traditional dress, uniforms, or ceremonial costume. Its older Scottish meaning for a small drinking cup is now uncommon and may sound archaic outside historical or Scottish contexts.
Easily confused with tass
Tass and tassel are spelling variants for the same ornament; tassel is now the usual spelling in American English and increasingly common in British English, while tass remains chiefly British.