tart

1
[ tahrt ]
/ tɑrt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR tart ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, tart·er, tart·est.

sharp to the taste; sour or acid: Tart apples are best for pie.
sharp in character, spirit, or expression; cutting; biting: a tart remark.

QUIZZES

CAN YOU FEEL THE WEAL WITH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ?

Did you collect all of last week’s words, but eftsoons forget what they mean? Don’t worry, we’re here to jog your memory. See how many words from the week of May 18 to 24 you can get right!
Question 1 of 7
weal
well-being, prosperity, or happiness.
the intervening time.
a somewhat prolonged, sharp, shrill cry, as of pain, fear, or surprise.
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Origin of tart

1
before 1000; Middle English; Old English teart sharp, rough; akin to Dutch tarten to defy, Middle High German traz defiance

OTHER WORDS FROM tart

tart·ish, adjectivetart·ish·ly, adverbtart·ly, adverbtart·ness, noun

Words nearby tart

tarsoplasty, tarsorrhaphy, tarsotarsal, tarsotomy, tarsus, tart, tart cell, tart up, tartan, tartanry, tartar

Definition for tart (2 of 2)

tart2
[ tahrt ]
/ tɑrt /

noun

a small pie filled with cooked fruit or other sweetened preparation, usually having no top crust.
a covered pie containing fruit or the like.
Slang. a prostitute or promiscuous woman.

Verb Phrases

tart up, Slang. to adorn, dress, or decorate, especially in a flamboyant manner: The old restaurant was tarted up to look like a Viennese café.

Origin of tart

2
1350–1400; 1905–10 for def 3; Middle English tarte < Middle French; compare Medieval Latin tarta
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to tart

dry, short, astringent, cutting, caustic, sharp, acid, wounding, bun, roll, Danish, pie, eclair, popover, turnover, acerbic, acidulous, acrimonious, barbed, biting

Example sentences from the Web for tart

British Dictionary definitions for tart (1 of 3)

tart1
/ (tɑːt) /

noun

a pastry case often having no top crust, with a sweet or savoury filling

Word Origin for tart

C14: from Old French tarte, of uncertain origin; compare Medieval Latin tarte

British Dictionary definitions for tart (2 of 3)

tart2
/ (tɑːt) /

adjective

(of a flavour, food, etc) sour, acid, or astringent
cutting, sharp, or caustica tart remark

Derived forms of tart

tartish, adjectivetartishly, adverbtartly, adverbtartness, noun

Word Origin for tart

Old English teart rough; related to Dutch tarten to defy, Middle High German traz defiance

British Dictionary definitions for tart (3 of 3)

tart3
/ (tɑːt) /

noun

informal a promiscuous woman, esp a prostitute: often a term of abuseSee also tart up

Derived forms of tart

tarty, adjective

Word Origin for tart

C19: shortened from sweetheart
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