n. & adj. (also Tatar except in sense 2 of n.)
n. 1 a a member of a group of Central Asian peoples including Mongols and Turks. b the Turkic language of these peoples. 2 (tartar) a violent-tempered or intractable person.
adj. 1 of or relating to the Tartars. 2 of or relating to Central Asia E. of the Caspian Sea. tartar sauce a sauce of mayonnaise and chopped gherkins, capers, etc. Tartarian adj.
[ ME tartre f. OF Tartare or med.L Tartarus ]