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cream of tartar

American  

noun

  1. a white, crystalline, water-soluble powder, C 4 H 5 KO 6 , used chiefly as an ingredient in baking powders and in galvanic tinning of metals.


cream of tartar British  

noun

  1. another name for potassium hydrogen tartrate, esp when used in baking powders

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cream of tartar

First recorded in 1655–65

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.

See Examples For:

Additionally, adding a small amount of acid, like cream of tartar or a few drops of lemon juice, directly into the sugar solution can help control crystallization.

From Salon Mar. 25, 2025

Add flour and mix well together, adding remainder of milk as required – also bicarbonate and cream of tartar.

From BBC Feb. 28, 2025

Use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment to beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed for 30 to 45 seconds until combined.

From Washington Times May 16, 2023

Many of those additives are natural and harmless, such as the cream of tartar used in Avaline and many, many other wines.

From Washington Post May 19, 2022

She ask about hard water stains and I tell her cream of tartar.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

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