tart
UK: tɑːt | US: tɑːrt
n. 1. A small open pie filled with sweet or savory ingredients.
adj. 2. Sharp or sour in taste.
adj. 3. (Informal) Harsh or cutting in manner.
The word "tart" originates from the Old French tarte, meaning a flat, open-faced pie. Its adjective form, meaning "sharp or sour," likely derives from the Proto-Germanic turta- (related to "turn," as in twisted or sharp flavors). Over time, the culinary and sensory meanings merged, with the pie being named for its often tangy filling (e.g., fruit tarts). The informal sense of "harsh" emerged in the 19th century, metaphorically extending the idea of sharpness to speech or behavior.
She baked a lemon tart for dessert.
The apples were too tart for his liking.
His tart reply left everyone silent.
The critic’s tart review discouraged the artist.
A tart cherry jam complemented the bread perfectly.