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

He opted for pseudo-macho pastiche, with a distinct Reddit-ish tang: Operation Epic Fury might as well translate to Operation Epic Bacon.

From Slate • Mar. 6, 2026

Sour cream and cheese to add tang; pinto beans and red salsa for heartiness.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

It's not the kind of kimchi my family would have made, but the process - rubbing paste into each leaf, waiting for the tang to deepen - connects back to kitchens thousands of miles away.

From BBC • Dec. 13, 2025

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 • Nov. 22, 2025

As Yule approached, with all of its attendant memories — the smell of pastries in the oven, the spicy tang of pine boughs in the house — she thought the pain might never cease.

From "Ash" by Malinda Lo