What does tannic mean?
Tannic is an adjective meaning relating to tannin or tannic acid. Tannins are astringent plant substances found in tea, grape skins, and tree bark; they can make drinks feel dry or puckered and are used in processes such as leather tanning. The word is most familiar in the compound “tannic acid,” a specific substance that was historically obtained from plant material and has various industrial and laboratory uses. In descriptions of tea and wine, tannic may also refer more generally to tannin-related content or character. Although it is widely understood, tannic is more characteristic of technical, scientific, and specialized descriptive writing than of everyday conversation. Its association with astringency and traditional leatherworking makes it a useful example of how a word derived from an ordinary plant or craft term can acquire a specialized chemical meaning.
adjectiveRelating to tannin or tannic acid, especially the astringent plant compounds found in tea, grape skins, and tree bark. The adjective is most commonly encountered in the compound “tannic acid.”
- Relating to tannin or tannic acid, especially the astringent substances found in tea, fruit skins, and tree bark.
"The laboratory measured the tannic acid content of the sample."
"Tannic acid gives some teas and wines a distinctly astringent taste."
"The report compared the tannic content of several samples of red wine."
Tannins, the broader family that includes tannic acid, help give unripe tea and red wine their characteristic puckering sensation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tannic come from?
Tannic was formed in English by adding the suffix -ic to tannin, a word borrowed from French tanin. Tannin derives from tan, the plant material used in tanning leather, and ultimately from Latin tanum, meaning tanbark. The related forms tanner and tannery preserve the same long history of converting animal hides into leather.
How tannic is actually used
Chiefly technical or descriptive, especially in chemistry, food and wine science, botany, and leather processing. It is normally used attributively, most often in “tannic acid,” rather than to mean tanning or tanning itself.
Easily confused with tannic
Tannin is the noun for the class of astringent plant compounds, whereas tannic is an adjective describing tannin or tannic acid.