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acerbically
a·cer·bic
/
əˈsɜr
bɪk
/
Show Spelled
[
uh
-
sur
-bik
]
Show IPA
adjective
1.
sour or astringent in taste:
Lemon juice is acerbic.
2.
harsh or severe, as of temper or
expression
:
acerbic criticism.
Origin:
1860–65;
<
Latin
acerb
(
us
) sour, unripe, bitterly harsh +
-ic
, irregular for
-ous
Related forms
a·cer·bi·cal·ly,
adverb
un·a·cer·bic,
adjective
un·a·cer·bi·cal·ly,
adverb
Can be confused:
acerbic,
acid
,
acrid
.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To
acerbically
Collins
World English Dictionary
acerbic
(əˈsɜːbɪk)
—
adj
harsh, bitter, or astringent; sour
[C17: from Latin
acerbus
sour, bitter]
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
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00:10
Acerbically
is always a great word to know.
So is
ninnyhammer
. Does it mean:
So is
flibbertigibbet
. Does it mean:
So is
bezoar
. Does it mean:
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
acerbic
1865, originally, and usually, figurative, "sour, harsh, severe" (of speech, manners, etc.), from L. acerbus "harsh to the taste, sharp, bitter, sour" (see
acerbity
).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
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