ta ta

Alternative forms

ta-ta, tata, ta tah, ta-tah, tah tah, tah-tah

Etymology

Probably hypocoristic, circa 1823.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /tɑːtɑː/, /tətɑː/, /təˈtɑː/
Audio (General Australian): (file)
Rhymes: -ɑː

Interjection

ta ta

(chiefly Commonwealth, UK, Ireland, informal, colloquial) Goodbye.
- 1917, Henry Handel Richardson, Australia Felix, The Echo Library, published 2007, page 229:
  “ […] Well, ta-ta, sweetheart! Don′t expect me back to lunch.”
- 1923 (recorded 1900), Ed Smith (Cranbrook Courier), Reminiscences of Kootenay Pioneers, recalling an event claimed to be the origin of the place name Ta Ta Creek; viewed in British Columbia archives),
  Red put the spurs to his horse and galloped away: “Ta ta, friends, I′ve business up the trail.”
- 1967, Joan Lindsay, Picnic at Hanging Rock‎, page 55:
  ‘No more questions? Then I′ll be off. Ta-ta.’

Usage notes

Dated and rarely used in the United States, sometimes used in Canada. Although likely to be understood, it is likely to be considered rather humorous, particularly if used in a parody of British English and Irish English speakers. The word is very commonly used in India and Myanmar (Burma).

Synonyms

(goodbye): bye, goodbye, hooroo (Australian); see also Thesaurus:goodbye

Descendants

→ Burmese: တာ့တာ (ta.ta), တာတား (tata:)
→ Malayalam: റ്റാറ്റാ (ṟṟāṟṟā)
→ Tamil: டாட்டா (ṭāṭṭā)

Translations

bye — see bye

Anagrams

atta

English