Word
tart
US/ˈtɑɹt/
UK/tˈɑːt/
Definition
adj. having a sharp, sour taste like a lemon or an unripe apple. You can also use it to describe a way of speaking that is sharp or slightly unkind.
adj. having a sharp, pungent, or sour taste; acidic. When describing speech or tone, it implies a biting, cutting, or sharp quality that is often critical.
Examples
“The green apples are very tart.”
“She added a little extra sugar to the pie because the berries were quite tart.”
“The critic's tart review of the performance left the young director questioning his creative choices for the remainder of the season.”
Examples
simple
“The green apples are very tart.”
contextual
“She added a little extra sugar to the pie because the berries were quite tart.”
complex
“The critic's tart review of the performance left the young director questioning his creative choices for the remainder of the season.”
Usage
Often used to describe fruit, wine, or a person's tone of voice.
Real-World Examples
“Not enough triple sec, and you’ll end up with a drink that’s far too tart.” Etymology
From Middle English tart, from Old English teart (“sharp, rough, severe”), from Proto-West Germanic tart, from Proto-Germanic tartaz (“rough, sharp, tearing”), from Proto-Germanic teraną (“to tear”), from Proto-Indo-European der- (“to flay, split, cleave”). Related to Scots tairt (“tart; tartness”), Dutch tarten (“to defy, challenge, mock”), German trotzen (“to defy, brave, mock”), perhaps Albanian thartë (“sour, acid, sharp”).
From Middle English tart, tarte, from Old French tarte, tartre (“flat pastry”) (compare Medieval Latin tarta), of unknown origin. Perhaps an alteration of Old French torte, tourte, from Latin turta, perhaps from tŏrta f (“twisted”), in which case it would be cognate to torta.
From a rebracketing of sweetheart, or from jam tart (“attractive woman”) by shortening.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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