Tarpaulin

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɔːlɪn

Origin

From tar + pall ("heavy canvas") + -ing.

Full definition of tarpaulin

Noun

1. (countable) A heavy, waterproof sheet of material, often cloth, used as a cover.Throw a tarpaulin over that woodpile before it gets wet.
2. (countable, slang, archaic) A sailor. Often abbreviated to just tar.
3. (uncountable, obsolete) Any heavy, waterproof material used as a cover.
4. (uncountable, nautical, obsolete) Canvas waterproofed with tar, used as a cover.
5. A hat made of, or covered with, painted or tarred cloth, worn by sailors and others.

Usage notes

In the US, tarp is more commonly used than tarpaulin, even in print.

Derived terms

• tarp