Tartarate
/ˈtɑːr.tə.reɪt/noun
A salt or ester of tartaric acid, especially one formed from the residue known as tartar.
Did you know?The name ultimately echoes Greek Tartaros, the mythological abyss beneath the underworld, although the chemical substance itself comes from tartar deposits formed during winemaking.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Tártaros
“The deep abyss beneath the underworld in Greek mythology”
Classical Latin
Latin
tartărum
“Tartar; a deposit found in wine vessels, later associated by name with Tartarus”
Middle English
English
tartar
“A hard deposit formed in wine casks; later, dental calculus”
17th Century
French/Latin
tartarique / tartaricum
“Relating to tartar; describing tartaric acid”
19th Century
Chemical English
tartarate
“A salt or ester of tartaric acid”
Modern English
English
tartarate
“A chemical compound derived from tartaric acid”