tart
tart Lexical Profile
tart Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Sharp or sour in taste.
"She baked a pie using fresh, tart Granny Smith apples."
Biting, caustic, or cutting in tone or meaning.
"He received a tart reply when he questioned the committee's decision."
• noun
A baked dish consisting of a filling over a pastry base with an open top not covered with pastry.
"The bakery is famous for its classic lemon tart."
British A derogatory term for a woman who behaves in a sexually provocative or promiscuous manner.
"The tabloid faced backlash after referring to the young actress as a tart."
• verb
British To dress or decorate in a flashy, showy, or cheap way (usually followed by 'up').
"They tarted up the old apartment with cheap paint and bright curtains before trying to rent it out."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a noun, 'tart' can refer to a harmless pastry or serve as a derogatory slang term for a promiscuous woman. The verb form is usually phrasal ('tart up'), meaning to dress or decorate flashily.
• Rhymes for tart
Word Origin & Etymology
The adjective stems from Old English 'teart' (severe or sharp). The noun denoting a pastry comes from Old French 'tarte'. The slang noun sense (promiscuous woman) originated in the late 19th century, likely as a contraction of 'sweetheart' or an extension of the sweet pastry sense.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.