tannic acid

noun

Any of various complex phenols extracted from the bark or galls of trees and used in tanning.

Similar
tannin
OriginFrench acide tannique →
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Meanings

nountannic acid (countable and uncountable, plural tannic acids)

plural tannic acids

  1. countableuncountablebiochemistryAny of various complex phenols extracted from the bark or galls of trees and used in tanning.

    Its salts resemble those of caffeina. The tannate is soluble in an excess of tannic acid, in alcohol and boiling water.

    1864, Edward Parrish, A Treatise on Pharmacy, page 640

Synonyms & antonyms

nounany of various complex phenolic substances of plant origin; used in tanning and in medicine

Similar
tannin
Broader
phenol
Also see
digallic acidtannin

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchacide tannique
  2. Englishtannic acid

Calque of French acide tannique, introduced 1834 by the French chemist Théophile-Jules Pelouze.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan àcid tànnic
  • àcid tànnicany of various complex phenols
Finnish parkkihappo
  • parkkihappoany of various complex phenols
French acide tannique
  • acide tanniqueany of various complex phenols
German Gerbsäure
  • Gerbsäureany of various complex phenols
Italian acido tannico
  • acido tannicoany of various complex phenols
Polish kwas taninowy
  • kwas taninowyany of various complex phenols
Romanian acid tanic
  • acid tanicany of various complex phenols
Russian дуби́льная кислота́
  • дуби́льная кислота́ (dubílʹnaja kislotá)any of various complex phenols
Swedish garvsyra, tannin
  • garvsyraany of various complex phenols
  • tanninany of various complex phenols
Cite this entry
APA

tannic acid. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tannic%20acid

MLA

“tannic acid.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tannic%20acid. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tannic acid,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tannic%20acid.

Source: tannic acid on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.