What does tattooed mean?
“Tattooed” is chiefly an adjective describing someone whose skin bears a tattoo or tattoos. It can refer to a single marked area, such as “tattooed arms,” or to a person extensively covered in body art, as in “a heavily tattooed performer.” The word can also function as the past tense and past participle of the verb “tattoo”: an artist “tattooed” a client, or a design “was tattooed” onto skin. In the adjective sense, it is straightforward and descriptive, though its use may sometimes draw attention to a person's appearance or identity in social contexts. In the verbal sense, it describes the act of marking the body with a permanent image or inscription. Its history is especially notable because the English word comes from Polynesian languages, where related terms referred to skin markings and designs. “Tattooed” is therefore both a common description in contemporary body-art culture and a word that reflects the movement of a cultural practice through Pacific exploration into English.
Having one or more tattoos on the skin.
"The model displayed tattooed arms covered in colorful designs."
Commonly used before body parts or to describe a person's appearance; it is neutral in meaning, though the social context can affect its connotations.
Past tense and past participle of “tattoo,” meaning to mark the skin with a permanent design, symbol, or inscription.
"The artist tattooed a small bird on the client's shoulder."
In formal contexts it is often used with an auxiliary, as in “had tattooed,” “was tattooed,” or “is being tattooed.”
The word “tattooed” preserves a trace of Polynesian navigation and contact: its English form comes from a Polynesian word for skin markings, a practice carried across the Pacific and later into modern body art.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tattooed come from?
The English word “tattoo” entered the language in the late 18th century from Polynesian sources, commonly traced to the Samoan and Tahitian forms “tatau.” These terms referred to marks or designs made on the skin. English adopted “tattoo” as both a noun for the resulting design and a verb for making one, while the participial form “tattooed” developed alongside them.
Related word forms
How tattooed is actually used
As an adjective, “tattooed” commonly describes a person, body, arms, or other part of the skin and has no special regional restriction. As a verb form, it normally requires an auxiliary or progressive construction in formal written English, as in “was tattooed,” while the simple past is common in narrative and informal speech.