Definition of tartar
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: an incrustation on the teeth consisting of plaque that has become hardened by the deposition of mineral salts (such as calcium carbonate)
2
: a substance consisting essentially of cream of tartar that is derived from the juice of grapes and deposited in wine casks together with yeast and other suspended matters as a pale or dark reddish crust or sediment
especially
: a recrystallized product yielding cream of tartar on further purification
tartar
noun (2)Definition of tartar (Entry 2 of 2)
1
capitalized
: a native or inhabitant of Tartary
3
often capitalized
: a person of irritable or violent temper
4
: one that proves to be unexpectedly formidable
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for tartar
The first known use of tartar was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century