tart

¹

[ tahrt ]

adjective

, tart·er, tart·est.

1. sharp to the taste; sour or acid:

   Tart apples are best for pie.

   Synonyms: piquant, acrid, astringent

   Antonyms: mellow, bland, sugary, sweet

2. sharp in character, spirit, or expression; cutting; biting:

   a tart remark.

   Synonyms: acrimonious, acerbic, caustic, barbed, sarcastic

   Antonyms: benign, gracious, gentle, kind, sweet

tart

²

[ tahrt ]

noun

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

verb phrase

1. Slang. to adorn, dress, or decorate, especially in a flamboyant manner:

   The old restaurant was tarted up to look like a Viennese café.

tart

¹

/ tɑːt /

noun

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

tart

²

/ tɑːt /

noun

1. informal.
   a promiscuous woman, esp a prostitute: often a term of abuse See also tart up

tart

³

/ tɑːt /

adjective

1. (of a flavour, food, etc) sour, acid, or astringent
2. cutting, sharp, or caustic

   a tart remark

Derived Forms

• ˈtarty, adjective
• ˈtartishly, adverb
• ˈtartly, adverb
• ˈtartish, adjective
• ˈtartness, noun

Other Words From

• tartish adjective
• tartish·ly adverb
• tartly adverb
• tartness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tart¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English teart “sharp, rough”; akin to Dutch tarten “to defy,” Middle High German traz “defiance”

Origin of tart²

First recorded in 1350–1400; 1905–10 tart ²fordef 3; Middle English tarte, from Middle French; compare Medieval Latin tarta

Word History and Origins

Origin of tart¹

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

Origin of tart²

C19: shortened from sweetheart

Origin of tart³

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

Example Sentences

I always get a martini and this chocolate passion fruit tart with an order of fries.

From Los Angeles Times

After playing for the Titans last season, Molden, Fulton and defensive lineman Teair Tart all are making key contributions to the Chargers’ defense.

From Los Angeles Times

In the defensive line rotation, Tart has 11 tackles, an interception and a blocked field goal.

From Los Angeles Times

Some Browns fans started chanting “we want refunds” after defensive lineman Teair Tart blocked a 51-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

From Los Angeles Times

Also look for a pink bourbon variety coffee from finca Sierra Morena in Colombia, “gracefully tart.”

From Los Angeles Times