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Unique Tattoo Word Ideas

Word tattoos can pack a lot of personal meaning into a few letters, making them a cost-effective choice for tattoo seekers who are on a budget or who want something small and discreet. You don't have to know Sanskrit or Latin to find phrases from sacred texts that will make you seem deep or pretentious when you get them inked on your flesh. But for maximum minimalism, consider the power of prepositions and conjunctions. Normally surrounded by other words, a preposition or conjunction--standing alone, emboldened by an elaborate font--can challenge the imagination and open up a world of possibilities.
  1. The

    • We use this word virtually every time we open our mouths. We don't think about it. But each letter holds great graphic possibilities. The "T" might be made to look like a Christian or Celtic cross. A Pisces could stylize the "H" to look like the glyph of her zodiac sign. If you really want to get heavy, make the "E" Greek and stylize it to look like the scientific symbol for the permittivity of free space.

    And

    • The word "And" implies that more is coming. The first letter--"A"--has powerful symbolic meaning. Placed above a woman's breast, with the "A" prominent in the design, this word could make an ironic feminist statement. It might evoke the famous mark of the adulteress worn by Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter"--while also subtly inviting salacious possibilities. Emblazoned on a man's chest or arm, the "A" could suggest its wearer is an alpha dog--a leader of the pack.

    Now

    • It could be a conjunction, an adverb or a noun. And, standing alone on flesh, it's meaning is rich with possibilities. Maybe you're impatient--you want it all, and you want it now. Perhaps you're making a deeper statement about the world: "World Peace Now" or "Revolution Now." Circular designs make for powerful tattoos. You could have a lot of fun with the letter "O." Shape it like the planet Earth, and you might be an environmentalist. If you're a materialist, it might be shaped like a diamond ring.

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