tart

tart · adjective¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*der-“to flay, split, cleave”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*teraną“to tear”
3. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*tartaz“rough, sharp, tearing”
4. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*tart
5. Old English · inherited fromteart“sharp, rough, severe”
6. Middle English · inherited fromtart
7. English todaytart

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”).

tart · noun²

1. Latin · derived fromturta
2. Old French · derived fromtarte
3. Middle English · inherited fromtart
4. English todaytart

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.

tart · noun, verb³

From a rebracketing of sweetheart, or from jam tart (“attractive woman”) by shortening.

Words from the same roots