tannin

[ tan-in ]

/ ˈtæn ɪn /

noun

Chemistry. any of a group of astringent vegetable principles or compounds, chiefly complex glucosides of catechol and pyrogallol, as the reddish compound that gives the tanning properties to oak bark or the whitish compound that occurs in large quantities in nutgalls (common tannin, tannic acid).

any of these compounds occurring in wine and imparting an astringent taste, especially in red wine.

Words nearby tannin

tannhäuser, tannic, tannic acid, tannie, tanniferous, tannin, tanning, tanning bed, tannish, tannoy, tannu tuva people's republic

Origin of tannin

1795–1805; earlier tanin < F. See tan¹, -in²

OTHER WORDS FROM tannin

non·tan·nin, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for tannin

Spanish oak, which has an open grain and high levels of tannin, gives you dried fruit, spice, and even chocolate flavors.
How Much Do Whisky Casks Really Affect Taste?||December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sorry, tannin fans: “In contrast to results for coffee, no effect was observed for drinking tea,” the authors avow.
Can Coffee Save Your Life?|Anneli Rufus|October 28, 2011|DAILY BEAST
And yet, late last week, Cioffi and Tannin were found not guilty of all charges.
Wall Street Will Walk|Charlie Gasparino|November 16, 2009|DAILY BEAST
To be sure, the case against Cioffi and Tannin, such as it is, has some noteworthy elements.
Prosecutors Fumble Wall Street Probes|Charlie Gasparino|September 17, 2009|DAILY BEAST

Cioffi and Tannin have both pleaded not guilty, so presumably they will also argue they did nothing wrong.
Who's Going Down?|Charlie Gasparino|May 13, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Is the freeing of the acorn and its tannin and other objectionable substances a practical consideration?
Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the|Various
A factor which governs the quality of the leather quite as much as the tannin itself is the acidity of the liquors.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 16, Slice 3|Various
The bark and cones are rich in tannin and a yellow dye used in making ink.
Trees Worth Knowing|Julia Ellen Rogers
Throw the tongue into a pickle of tannin and carbolic acid (see chapter IV, No. 15), and there leave it until wanted.
Practical Taxidermy|Montagu Browne
The plate, after being "sensitized" and washed, is plunged in a bath containing ten grains of tannin to an ounce of water.
Atlantic Monthly, Vol. XII. July, 1863, No. LXIX.|Various

British Dictionary definitions for tannin

tannin

/ (ˈtænɪn) /

noun

any of a class of yellowish or brownish solid compounds found in many plants and used as tanning agents, mordants, medical astringents, etc. Tannins are derivatives of gallic acid with the approximate formula C 76 H 52 O 46Also called: tannic acid

Word Origin for tannin

C19: from French tanin, from tan 1

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

Scientific definitions for tannin

tannin

[ tăn′ĭn ]

Any of various compounds, including tannic acid, that occur naturally in the bark and fruit of various plants, especially the nutgalls, certain oaks, and sumac. Tannins are polyphenols, and form yellowish to light brown amorphous masses that can be powdery, flaky, or spongy. They bind proteins and are used in dyeing, in tanning leather, in clarifying wine and beer, and as an astringent in medicine. Tannins also give color and flavor to black tea.

Any of various other substances that promote the tanning of leather, such as chromium salts.