Tart
adjective /tɑːt/ — Sharp and acidic in flavor — and in manner, sharply cutting.
Definition
Sharp or acid in taste; (of a remark or person) cutting, bitter; having a pungent, sour, or acidic flavor.
Beyond the definition
Tart is the word that works perfectly in both registers — on the tongue (the tart apple, the citrus bite) and in conversation (the tart response, the dry wit with an edge). In both uses, it names a sharpness that wakes you up.
Origin & history
From Old English teart — sharp, severe. The sharp — originally describing pain, it moved to taste and then to manner.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The gooseberry was tart in the way that ripe fruit sometimes is — the sweetness and the acid balanced.
Her response was tart: three words, no cushioning, entirely accurate.
A tart observation is one that cuts cleanly — the wit that leaves a mark without tearing.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Tart” when the meaning fits your context: Sharp or acid in taste; (of a remark or person) cutting, bitter; having a pungent, sour, or acidic flavor.
Synonyms
sharp, acidic, sour, cutting, pungent
Antonyms
sweet, mild, gentle, bland
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Precise Culinary Transformation
A chef's hand drizzles oil into a whisked egg yolk mixture in a metal bowl, creating a smooth, thick, creamy emulsion.
The sharpness of the culinary technique, like the sharp flavor of a tart ingredient, requires exactitude. The transformation in the bowl represents the acidity or piquant quality that provides a biting, distinct, and lively note in cooking, challenging the palate.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Tart" mean?
Tart is adjective meaning: Sharp and acidic in flavor — and in manner, sharply cutting.. Sharp or acid in taste; (of a remark or person) cutting, bitter; having a pungent, sour, or acidic flavor.
Where does the word "Tart" come from?
From Old English teart — sharp, severe. The sharp — originally describing pain, it moved to taste and then to manner.