adj

tart

taht

adj

Having a sharp, sour taste.

"The lemon sauce was pleasantly tart."

"Green apples tend to taste tarter than red ones."

noun

A small open pastry case filled with a sweet or savoury filling.

"She baked a jam tart for dessert."

"The bakery's egg custard tarts sell out by noon."

(informal, dated, derogatory) A woman regarded as sexually promiscuous.

"The word "tart" is considered old-fashioned and insulting today."

How to Use Tart

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a sour taste, or a small open pastry — the third meaning (an insult toward women) is dated and offensive, best avoided.

Common mistake

Using "tart" to describe a woman is old-fashioned slang and can come across as sexist; stick to the food and taste senses.

Common pairings

tart flavour jam tart fruit tart

tarter comparative, tarted past tense, tarts plural, tarts plural, Tarts plural, tarts singular, tartest superlative

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Test yourself on “tart” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Can you complete this real example?

The lemon sauce was pleasantly _____.

From Old English teart, meaning sharp or severe, going back to a Germanic root related to "tear."

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