tang1

 
Pronunciation: /taŋ/

noun

  • 1 [in singular] a strong taste, flavour, or smell: the clean salty tang of the sea
  • a characteristic quality: his words came out with a distinct tang of broad Lancashire
  • 2the projection on the blade of a tool such as a knife, by which the blade is held firmly in the handle: a full tang is used for strength

Origin:

Middle English (denoting a snake's tongue, formerly believed to be a stinging organ; also denoting the sting of an insect): from Old Norse tangi 'point, tang of a knife'