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• tang
  tang

  noun

  a strong taste or flavor.
• T'ang
  T'ang

  noun

  a dynasty in China, a.d. 618–907, marked by territorial expansion, the invention of printing, and the high development of poetry.
• Tang
  Tang

  noun

  the imperial dynasty of China from 618–907 _ad

tang

¹ American  

[tang] / tæŋ /

noun

1. a strong taste or flavor.

   Synonyms:

   savor

2. the distinctive flavor or quality of a thing.

3. a pungent or distinctive odor.

4. a touch or suggestion of something; slight trace.

   Synonyms:

   hint, taste

5. 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.

6. a surgeonfish.

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verb (used with object)

1. to furnish with a tang.

tang ² American  

[tang] / tæŋ /

noun

1. a sharp ringing or twanging sound; clang.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to ring or twang; clang.

T'ang ³ American  

[tahng] / tɑŋ /

Or Tang

noun

1. a dynasty in China, a.d. 618–907, marked by territorial expansion, the invention of printing, and the high development of poetry.

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tang ¹ British  

/ tæŋ /

noun

1. a strong taste or flavour

   the tang of the sea

2. a pungent or characteristic smell

   the tang of peat fires

3. a trace, touch, or hint of something

   a tang of cloves in the apple pie

4. the pointed end of a tool, such as a chisel, file, knife, etc, which is fitted into a handle, shaft, or stock

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Tang ² British  

/ tæŋ /

noun

1. the imperial dynasty of China from 618–907 _ad

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Etymology

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; see ting ¹

Explanation

A tang is a sharp flavor or smell, like the tang of fresh-squeezed lemonade or the tang of the salty ocean breeze. When you eat something sour, you taste a tang, like the tang of blue cheese or vinegar in your salad. Although it's no longer available today, Tang was also the name of a tangy, sugary orange drink that was especially popular in the 1960s and 70s. From a root word meaning "to bite," tang's original meaning was "serpent's tongue."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tang T'ang Tang

The buttermilk powder gives them that signature tang, but you can also skip the individual seasonings and use a packet of ranch seasoning instead.

From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026

“You won’t miss the statue,” the clerk said, the slightest tang of exasperation in his tone.

From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026

The citric acid that adds tang to sugary drinks and the silica that gives toothpaste its grit are made with it, too.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026

It adds moisture, tenderness, and just enough tang to make things interesting.

From Salon ● Apr. 28, 2026

Finally, after more than seven years, I tasted the icy tang of snow again!

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter

From the hand-painted cards of T’ang Dynasty China to paper-and-plastic Pokémon trading cards, the history of playing cards spans cultures, epochs, and continents.

From National Geographic ● Nov. 3, 2023

References to “domino cards” existed as early as the T’ang Dynasty, which lasted from 618-907 AD.

From National Geographic ● Nov. 3, 2023

By the time the Pekingese had become a proper breed during the T’ang dynasty, only the Chinese imperial family was allowed to keep them.

From Time ● Feb. 15, 2012

But T'ang Yin could not resist slyly mocking the mood of scholarly repose.

From Time Magazine Archive

The T’ang, allied with the Silla kingdom, swept down from the north and pushed their way into Puyo.

From "A Single Shard" by Linda Sue Park

But this week’s dissent statements may ring louder given that Warsh declined to lay out the logic of the hold-steady decision in much detail, said Derek Tang, a Fed analyst at Monetary Policy Analytics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

After this month's raids, security chief Chris Tang said booksellers must ensure the items they sell "do not endanger national security".

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

“I think people are antsy about it, because they just don’t know whether Warsh will come up and surprise us,” Tang said.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026

To gain mainstream adoption, smart glasses will need to meaningfully “enhance the usefulness of AI in daily scenarios” and “strengthen ecosystem connectivity,” Tang told MarketWatch over email.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 27, 2026

It was about four in the afternoon when we got to the Tang people s town.

From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep