astringency
uh-STRIN-juhn-see
/əˈstrɪndʒənsi/
A sensory experience characterized by a puckering, drying, or rough sensation in the mouth, caused by the binding of tannins to salivary proteins.
Astringency is not a taste (like bitter or sour) but a tactile sensation of dryness and friction on the tongue and gums.
The story behind the word. The word 'astringency' comes from the Latin 'astringere', which means 'to bind fast' or 'draw tight'. This perfectly describes the physical sensation of the word, as tannins literally bind to the proteins in your saliva, causing them to clump together and leaving your mouth feeling tight and dry.
Word relationships
- puckeriness: Puckeriness is a more informal, descriptive term for the physical drawing together of mouth tissues, whereas astringency is the formal scientific term.
- lubricity: The quality of being smooth, slippery, or oily, which reduces friction in the mouth—the exact opposite of astringent dryness.
Commonly confused with
- bitterness: Bitterness is a basic taste sensed by taste buds on the tongue, whereas astringency is a tactile sensation of dryness felt throughout the entire oral cavity.
Word family
- astringent (adjective): Causing contraction of body tissues; sharp or severe.
- astringently (adverb): In an astringent manner.
Collocations
- mild astringency
- puckering astringency
- reduce astringency
Example sentences
- "The heavy tannins in the Cabernet Sauvignon gave the wine a noticeable astringency that dried out the mouth." Describing the mouthfeel of red wine.
- "The astringency of green tea is primarily attributed to its high concentration of catechins, a type of natural tannin." A study on tea chemistry.
Memory hook
Think of a 'string' pulling the inside of your cheeks 'tight' and dry when you drink over-steeped black tea. A string pulling your mouth tight.
When not to use
Do not confuse astringency with bitterness; bitterness is a taste detected by chemical receptors, while astringency is a physical feeling of dryness.
Fun facts
- Unripe bananas are highly astringent because they contain high levels of active tannins, which act as a natural defense mechanism to stop animals from eating the fruit before the seeds are mature.
- Adding milk to black tea reduces its astringency because the proteins in the milk bind to the tannins before they can bind to the proteins in your saliva.
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