tartareous

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UK/tɑːˈtɛəɹi.əs/US/tɑɹˈtɛɹi.əs/

adjective

Consisting of tartar; of the nature of tartar

“Many lichens are tartareous.”

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Meanings

adjectivetartareous (comparative more tartareous, superlative most tartareous)

comparative more tartareous · superlative most tartareous

  1. Consisting of tartar; of the nature of tartar
  2. biologyHaving a rough, crumbly surface.

    Many lichens are tartareous.

  3. Of or pertaining to Tartarus; hellish.

    His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspread, / And vital virtue infused and vital warmth, / Throughout the fluid mass, but downward purged / The black, tartareous, cold, infernal, dregs / Adverse to life: then founded, then conglobed / Like things to like.

    1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost, Chicago: Donohue & Henneberry, page 237

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
tartarous

Origin

From tartar + -eous, compare tartarous.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with tartareous

varioushilariousAquariusprecariouscalcareousnefariousvicariousStradivariusmultifariouscariousBelisariusscopariuslibrariusmalariousacinariousadversariousanticariousapocrisariusapocrisiariusarbitrariousarenariousargillocalcareousarmariusassarius
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“tartareous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tartareous. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tartareous,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tartareous.

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