tang
1 Americannoun
-
a strong taste or flavor.
- Synonyms:
- savor
-
the distinctive flavor or quality of a thing.
-
a pungent or distinctive odor.
-
a touch or suggestion of something; slight trace.
-
a long and slender projecting strip, tongue, or prong forming part of an object, as a chisel, file, or knife, and serving as a means of attachment for another part, as a handle or stock.
-
a surgeonfish.
verb (used with object)
noun
verb (used with or without object)
noun
noun
-
a strong taste or flavour
the tang of the sea
-
a pungent or characteristic smell
the tang of peat fires
-
a trace, touch, or hint of something
a tang of cloves in the apple pie
-
the pointed end of a tool, such as a chisel, file, knife, etc, which is fitted into a handle, shaft, or stock
noun
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012Etymology
Origin of tang1
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English tange “tongue of a snake, projection on a tool,” perhaps from Old Norse tangi “projection, headland, tang of a blade”
Origin of tang2
First recorded in 1660–70; imitative; ting 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fold a touch of Greek yogurt into hand-whipped cream: the yogurt keeps it airy and adds a subtle tang that cuts through sweetness, creating tension on the tongue.
From Salon
McKenzie kicked a penalty to restore the visitors' lead as the game turned into a midfield slugfest which had a distinct end-of-season tang to it.
From Barron's
Relentless hissing fills the air, which is tinged with the pungent, acidic tang of sulfur that results from separating cast iron and waste deposits.
From Seattle Times
It is fresh and delicious in a surprisingly complicated way, with the light tang of sorrel and the earthiness of beetroot leaves crunching alongside many other flavors against the soft, yeasty-sweet bread.
From Los Angeles Times
The air has an ocean tang that comes from the high concentration of salt in the potash.
From Seattle Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.