Definition

A chemical compound that is a salt or ester of tartaric acid, often used in food and pharmaceuticals.

Example

Bitartrate is commonly found in cream of tartar, which is used in baking.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of bitartrate in cooking?

Yeah, I've come across it when reading recipes but I'm not sure what it is.

It's actually a salt of tartaric acid used in baking, I think.

That makes sense! I should pay more attention to those ingredients next time.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Bitartrate is formed from "bi-" (meaning two) and "tartrate" (from Latin "tartratum", meaning a salt or ester of tartaric acid). The word refers to a compound that contains two tartrate ions.

Memory Tip

Think of 'two' ('bi-') tartrate ions coming together to form a compound — that's what bitartrate means.

Visually Confused Words