Want to remove ads? Log in to see fewer ads, and become a Premium Member to remove all ads.

Origin and history of tag

tag(n.1)

"small, hanging piece from a garment," c. 1400, a word of uncertain origin. Middle English Compendium compares Middle Low German tagge "branch, twig, spike," also Norwegian tagg "point, prong, barb," Swedish tagg "prickle, thorn." Watkins has it from PIE *dek-, a root forming words referring to "fringe; horsetail; locks of hair" (see tail (n.1)). The sense development might be "point of metal at the end of a cord, string, etc.," hence "part hanging loose." Also compare tag (n.3).

The meaning "a label" (attached to a package, etc., with directions) is attested by 1835. The sense of "automobile license-plate" is recorded from 1935, originally U.S. underworld slang.

The meaning "an epithet, popular designation" is recorded from 1961, hence slang verb meaning "write graffiti in public places" (1990).

also from c. 1400

tag(n.2)

children's game in which one player ("it") chases the others and attempts to touch them, by 1738 (in a reference to "Queen Mary's reign"), perhaps a variation of Scottish tig "touch, tap" (1721, also attested as the name of the game), which is probably an alteration of Middle English tek, tik "touch, tap" (see tick (n.2)).

The baseball sense of "act of putting out an opposing player by touching him with the ball" is by 1912. It is not an acronym; it does not stand for anything.

also from 1738

tag(v.1)

early 15c. (implied in tagged), "furnish with a tag or tail," from tag (n.1). From 1620s as "mark by or as by a tag;" the sense of "fasten or join by or as if by a tag" is by 1704.

The meaning "go along as a follower" is from 1670s (verbal phrase tag along in this sense is by 1900). The colloquial transitive sense of "follow closely and persistently," as a dog its master, is by 1884. Related: Tagger; tagging.

also from early 15c.

tag(v.2)

"to hit lightly or touch in the game of tag," 1878, from tag (n.2) "a touch in the game of tag." The sense in baseball, "put out a player by touching him with the ball," is by 1904. Related: Tagged; tagger; tagging.

also from 1878

tag(n.3)

c. 1400, tagge "a point of metal or other hard thing at the end of a cord or chain, an aglet," a word of obscure origin, perhaps a variant of Middle English dagge, attested by late 14c as "ornamental incision in the edge of a garment;" by c. 1400 as "shred, tag, strip" (of cloth, leather). Middle English Compendium compares Old French dague "dagger" (see dagger (n.)).

Hence "any pendant thing or appendage;" and, collectively "the rabble" (1530s). with rag (n.); compare ragtag.

also from c. 1400

Entries linking to tag

dagger(n.)

"edged or pointed weapon for thrusting, shorter than a sword," late 14c. (mid-14c. in Anglo-Latin), apparently related to Old French dague "dagger," from Old Provençal or Italian daga, which are of uncertain origin; perhaps from Celtic, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *daca "Dacian knife," from the Roman province (see Dacian). The ending is possibly the faintly pejorative -ard suffix.

Attested earlier (1279) as a surname (Dagard, presumably "one who carried a dagger"). Also compare dogwood. Middle Dutch dagge, Danish daggert, German Degen also are from French. By 16c.-17c. swordsmen held it in the left hand to parry thrusts from the opponent's rapier. As "a reference mark in the form of a dagger," by 1706.

rag(n.1)

"torn or worn scrap of cloth," early 14c., probably from a Scandinavian source (compare Old Norse rögg "shaggy tuft, rough hair," earlier raggw-; Old Danish rag; see rug), or else a back-formation from ragged. It also may represent an unrecorded Old English cognate of Old Norse rögg. In any case, from Proto-Germanic *rawwa-, from PIE root *reue- (2) "to smash, knock down, tear up, uproot" (see rough (adj.)).

Also in Middle English "a hard, rough piece of stone" (late 13c.). As an insulting term for "newspaper, magazine" it dates from 1734; slang for "tampon, sanitary napkin" is attested from 1930s (on the rag "menstruating" is from 1948). Rags "tattered clothing" is from mid-14c.; in the jocular sense of "personal clothing" it is attested by 1855 (singular), American English. Rags-to-riches as a description of a tale of a rise from poverty to wealth is attested by 1896. Rag-picker is from 1860; rag-shop, one selling old clothes, is from 1829.