Standard Lemma guide

tarball

noun · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A ball of tar or crude oil found on a beach.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1969, Hearings By United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary All of us who have been to the beaches this year have encountered tarballs that stick to our feet and mess up our rugs.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A file that is an archive of several other files, created using the Unix tar utility.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To archive into a tarball.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From tar + ball.