Tattooing

–noun
1. the act or practice of marking the skin with indelible patterns, pictures, legends, etc., by making punctures in it and inserting pigments.
2. a pattern, picture, legend, etc., so made.
–verb (used with object)
3. to mark (the skin) with tattoos.
4. to put (tattoos) on the skin.
[Origin: 1760–70; < Marquesan tatu; r. tattow < Tahitian tatau]