tag
B1Neutral to informal
Definition
Meaning
A small piece of paper, plastic, or other material attached to an object to identify it or give information about it.
A label or keyword assigned to a piece of digital information (e.g., a social media post, a photo) for categorization and retrieval; a children's chasing game; to add a tag to something; to follow closely behind someone.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The meaning shifts significantly between its concrete noun sense (physical label), digital noun sense (metadata keyword), verb sense (to label), and noun sense (a game). Context is essential for disambiguation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The children's game is called "tag" in both varieties. The verb 'to tag' someone in a social media context is universal.
Connotations
Similar connotations across both dialects.
Frequency
Equally common in both dialects for all core meanings.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
tag + noun (tag the photo)tag + noun + as + noun (tag him as a suspect)tag + along + with + noun (tag along with us)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “tag along”
- “price tag”
- “tag team”
- “tag line”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to cost or price labels, or to categorise projects/files. 'The project has a hefty price tag.'
Academic
Used in metadata discussions (e.g., 'tag a dataset'), or in linguistics ('a question tag').
Everyday
Physical labels on clothes/gifts, the children's game, social media mentions.
Technical
In computing: HTML tags, metadata tags, RFID tags.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Don't forget to tag the luggage before checking it in.
- She tagged me in a hilarious photo from the party.
American English
- Make sure you tag your suitcase at the airport.
- He tagged his friends in the Facebook post.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Look at the price tag on this shirt.
- The children are playing tag in the garden.
- I'll tag you in my holiday photos on Instagram.
- Please write your name on the tag attached to your bag.
- The new government policy comes with a significant environmental price tag.
- We need to tag all the images in the archive with relevant keywords.
- He's been trying to shake off the 'troublemaker' tag ever since he joined the company.
- The artist's work resists being tagged with any single artistic movement.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TAG on a GIFT bag. It TELLS you About the Gift.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDENTIFICATION IS A TAG (A person is reduced to/categorised by their label).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing 'tag' (метка, ярлык, хэштег) with 'tag' as in the game 'догонялки'. The verb 'to tag' in social media is 'отметить'. 'Price tag' is 'ценник', not 'цена' alone.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'tag' as a synonym for 'brand' (e.g., 'a famous tag' is wrong; use 'brand'). Confusing 'tag question' (You're coming, aren't you?) with a physical tag.
Practice
Quiz
In the context of HTML, what does a 'tag' do?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
As a noun for a physical label, it is neutral. 'Price tag' is standard in business. The digital/verb senses are more informal but universally understood.
A 'hashtag' is a specific type of tag used on social media, preceded by the # symbol. 'Tag' can be broader (e.g., tagging a person in a photo, an HTML tag).
Yes, in the phrasal verb 'tag along', meaning to accompany someone, often without a specific invitation. 'My little brother always tags along with us.'
No, it's commonly called 'tag' in the UK as well. Regional variants like 'tig' or 'he' exist, but 'tag' is the standard term.