tarn

¹

[ tahrn ]

noun

1. a small mountain lake or pool, especially one in a cirque.

Tarn

²

[ tarn ]

noun

1. a department in S France. 2,232 sq. mi. (5,780 sq. km). : Albi.

tarn

¹

/ tɑːn /

noun

1. a small mountain lake or pool

Tarn

²

/ tarn /

noun

1. a department of S France, in Midi-Pyrénées region. Capital: Albi. Pop: 350 477 (2003 est). Area: 5780 sq km (2254 sq miles)
2. a river in SW France, rising in the Massif Central and flowing generally west to the Garonne River. Length: 375 km (233 miles)

tarn

/ tärn /

1. A small mountain lake, especially one formed as a glacier melts, filling a cirque with water.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tarn¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English terne, tarne, from Old Norse tjǫrn “pond, pool.” Tarn was originally restricted to northern English dialects (where the Danes settled) or in written works about northern England. Tarn entered mainstream English in the works of the Lake Poets ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of tarn¹

C14: of Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse tjörn pool

Example Sentences

She said the animal is likely to have been kept at a pet, ending up in the tarn when owners struggled to keep up with its care demands or decided they did not want it.

From BBC

An invasive alligator snapping turtle has been pulled from a Cumbrian tarn.

From BBC

After an additional 2,000 feet of elevation, you’ll reach your destination: meadows with tarns and a view of Glacier Peak.

From Seattle Times

The Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the chunk of national forest in the Central Cascades where you’ll find these shimmering aquatic delights, lives up to its name with more than 700 lakes, ponds and tarns.

From Seattle Times

The area where the afternoon tea was found on Monday, between Great Langdale and Little Langdale, is considered one of the most spectacular of the many Lakeland tarns.

From BBC

Related Words

• basin
• cistern
• container
• lake
• pond
• pool
• reserve
• source
• stockpile
• storage
• supply
• tank