tara

tara — noun

1. a rural village in County Meath, in eastern Ireland, about 35 kilometres north-w

1.nounB2
Definition

a rural village in County Meath, in eastern Ireland, about 35 kilometres north-west of Dublin. The nearby hill — the Hill of Tara — served as the ancient home and crowning place of Ireland's high kings.

Example

James visited the Hill of Tara during his trip to Ireland last summer.

proper noun used as a tourist destination

The guide told Léa that Tara was once the political centre of ancient Ireland.

passive: 'was once the political centre' for historical description

Common collocations
  • at Tara
  • the Hill of Tara
  • the high kings of Tara
  • the seat of Tara
  • visit Tara

Usage Note

Frequently appears in the phrase 'Hill of Tara', which refers to the specific archaeological site rather than the village itself.

Common Mistakes

I visited the Tara last spring.
I visited Tara last spring.
Place names do not take 'the' unless 'the' is part of the official name (e.g. 'the Hill of Tara').
The king ruled from Tara Hill.
The king ruled from the Hill of Tara.
The standard English name reverses the word order.

Word family

  • Hill of Tara
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four are major archaeological sites in Ireland, but they differ in time period and function. The Hill of Tara is the legendary seat of the high kings, used for coronations and assemblies from the Iron Age to the 11th century. Newgrange is a Neolithic passage tomb (older than the Egyptian pyramids), built around 3200 BCE. Dun Aonghasa is a stone fort on the Aran Islands dating from the Bronze Age. The Rock of Cashel is a medieval fortress-cathedral complex from the 12th century. Tara is best known as a political and ceremonial centre, whereas the others are burial, defensive, or religious sites.

Hill of TaraNewgrangeDun AonghasaRock of Cashel

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • Hill of Tara
  • high kings of Tara
  • the seat of Tara

Prepositions

Etymology

Old IrishIrish GaelicEnglish

The name 'Tara' comes from the Irish 'Teamhair', an ancient word meaning 'height' or 'elevated place'. This reflects the hill's physical prominence in the surrounding landscape. The site's importance as a royal centre gave its name lasting symbolic meaning in Irish history and legend.