tag
tag
UK[tæɡ]US[tæɡ]
n
a small piece of cloth, paper, metal, or plastic attached to an object to identify it or give information about it
n
a label attached to someone or something for the purpose of identification or to give other information
v
attach a tag to something
v
add a keyword or character to a piece of digital information so that it can be found easily
Etymology
The word 'tag' is a Middle English term, likely of Scandinavian origin, related to the Old Norse word 'tagg', meaning a point or a prong, and the Swedish 'tagg', meaning a spike or a thorn. This origin reflects the idea of something pointed or attached. Over time, the meaning broadened from a physical protrusion to any small, attached piece used for identification. The modern senses, encompassing physical labels and digital metadata, retain the core concept of an appendage that provides information about the primary object.
Analysis
The word 'tag' is a simplex word of Germanic origin. It functions as a complete lexical unit.
Examples
The price tag was still attached to the shirt.
She tagged the files with relevant keywords for easy retrieval.
The children played a game of tag in the park.