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tara

TAH-rah/ˈtaɾa/

“tara” means “defect” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

defect, flaw

Also: blemish, psychological hang-up
NounfB1
Spain
A pristine, simple ceramic bowl sitting on a table, clearly showing a large, visible chip on its rim.

📝 In Action

El coche fue devuelto por una tara de fábrica en el motor.

B1

The car was returned due to a factory defect in the engine.

No es mala persona, pero tiene una tara emocional que le impide confiar.

B2

He's not a bad person, but he has an emotional flaw (or hang-up) that prevents him from trusting.

Revisaron la fruta en busca de cualquier tara antes de empacarla.

B1

They checked the fruit for any blemishes before packing it.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • perfección (perfection)
  • cualidad (quality)

Common Collocations

  • tara genética – genetic defect
  • tara de nacimiento – birth defect

tare, tare weight

Also: deduction
NounfC1formal
An empty, open, simple brown cardboard shipping box sits next to a small pile of colorful oranges.

📝 In Action

Para calcular el peso neto, hay que restar la tara del envase.

C1

To calculate the net weight, you must subtract the tare weight of the container.

La báscula está configurada para descontar la tara automáticamente.

B2

The scale is set up to deduct the tare automatically.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • embalaje (packaging)
  • envase (container)

Antonyms

  • peso neto (net weight)
  • peso bruto (gross weight)

Common Collocations

  • peso de la tara – tare weight
  • restar la tara – subtract the tare

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: tara

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'tara' to mean a flaw or defect?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
tarar(to tare (weigh)) — Verb
tarado/a(flawed/defective (or offensive: idiot)) — Adjective
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Arabic word *ṭarḥ*, meaning 'deduction' or 'subtraction.' This perfectly explains both meanings: a defect is a subtraction from perfection, and tare weight is the weight that must be subtracted to find the true weight.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: taraItalian: tara

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'tara' a strong or harsh word?

When referring to an object's defect, it is neutral. However, when used to describe a person's mental or emotional flaw, it can be quite strong or even offensive, especially the related word 'tarado/a.' Use caution when applying it to people.

How is 'tara' related to the verb 'tarar'?

'Tarar' is the verb used in commerce to measure the weight of a container and set the scale to zero, effectively subtracting the 'tara' (tare weight) so you only measure the contents.