Meaning

noun a reference point to shoot at

noun a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence

noun the location of the target that is to be hit

originFrom Middle French targette, targuete, diminutive of targe (“light shield”), from Old French, from Frankish *targa (“buckler”), akin to Old Norse targa (“small round shield”) (whence also Old English targe, targa (“shield”)) from Proto-Germanic *targǭ (“edge”), from Proto-Indo-European *derǵʰ- (“fenced lot”). Akin to Old High German zarga (“side wall, rim”) (German Zarge (“frame”)), Spanish…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0