A strong, sharp taste or smell; also the metal rod that extends from a knife blade into the handle.
From Old Norse 'þangr' (seaweed), possibly influenced by Old English relating to taste sensations. The meaning evolved to include any sharp flavor. The metalworking meaning comes from the physical part that 'sticks out.'
Tang was originally seaweed, and seafood still tastes tangy today—the word reminds us that many flavor words come from specific ingredients our ancestors used constantly.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.