tart
1[ tahrt ]
/ tɑrt /
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.
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Nearby words
tarsoplasty, tarsorrhaphy, tarsotarsal, tarsotomy, tarsus, tart, tart cell, tart up, tartan, tartanry, tartar
Origin of tart
1before 1000; Middle English; Old English teart sharp, rough; akin to Dutch tarten to defy, Middle High German traz defiance
Related forms
tart·ish, adjectivetart·ish·ly, adverbtart·ly, adverbtart·ness, nounDefinition for tart (2 of 2)
tart
2[ 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
21350–1400; 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. 2019
Examples from the Web for tart
British Dictionary definitions for tart (1 of 3)
tart
1/ (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)
tart
2/ (tɑːt) /
adjective
(of a flavour, food, etc) sour, acid, or astringent
cutting, sharp, or caustica tart remark
Derived Forms
tartish, adjectivetartishly, adverbtartly, adverbtartness, nounWord 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)
tart
3/ (tɑːt) /
noun
Derived Forms
tarty, adjectiveWord Origin for tart
C19: shortened from sweetheart
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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