tannin

T1A1N1N1I1N1
/ˈtænɪn/

noun

Tannic acid or any of its derivatives.

Similar
E181 when used as a food colouringtannic acid
OriginFrench tannin ← Latin tannum ← Gaulish *tannos →
UncommonScrabble 6
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Meanings

tannin1

nountannin (plural tannins)

plural tannins

  1. chemistryTannic acid or any of its derivatives.

    Various substances act by entering into combination, and the divellent tendencies of the affinities of the constituents of those substances are overcome, among those are corrosive sublimate, copperas, tannin, wood, vinegar and creosotte.

    1847, editorial staff, “Preserving Animal Substances”, in Scientific American, series 1, Volume 3, Issue 10, page 80

    Synonyms: E181 when used as a food colouring

tannin2

nountannin (plural tannins or tanninim)

plural tannins · plural tanninim

  1. human sciencesAn evil sea monster in Canaanite and Hebrew mythology.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounTannic acid or any of its derivatives.

Similar
E181 when used as a food colouring

More synonyms by meaning

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

Similar
tannic acid
Broader
phenol
Also see
tannic acidtannoid

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

tannin · noun

  1. Gaulish*tannos“oak”
  2. Latintannum“oak bark”
  3. Frenchtannin
  4. Englishtannin

From French tannin, from Latin tannum (“oak bark”), from Gaulish *tannos (“oak”). Related to tan. By surface analysis, tann- + -in.

More words from French, Latin, Gaulish

Full word history & related roots →

tannin · noun

  1. Hebrewתַּנִּין
  2. Englishtannin

Borrowed from Hebrew תַּנִּין (tannīn).

More words from Hebrew

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian тани́н
  • тани́н (tanín)tannic acid
Catalan taní
  • tanítannic acid
Chinese Mandarin 单宁, 鞣酸
  • 单宁 (dānníng)tannic acid
  • 鞣酸 (róusuān)tannic acid
Czech tanin
  • tanintannic acid
Danish tannin
  • tannintannic acid
Esperanto tanino
  • taninotannic acid
Finnish tanniini
  • tanniinitannic acid
French tanin
  • tanintannic acid
German Tannin
  • Tannintannic acid
Hungarian csersav
  • csersavtannic acid
Italian tannino
  • tanninotannic acid
Persian تنین, تانن
  • تنین (tanin)tannic acid
  • تانن (tânan)tannic acid
Polish tanina
  • taninatannic acid
Portuguese tanino
  • taninotannic acid
Russian танин
  • танин (tanin)tannic acid
Spanish tanino
  • taninotannic acid
Turkish tanen
  • tanentannic acid
Ukrainian танін
  • танін (tanin)tannic acid
Cite this entry
APA

tannin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tannin

MLA

“tannin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tannin. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tannin,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tannin.

Source: tannin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.