acerb adj

1 sour or bitter in taste [syn: acerbic, astringent, sharp]

2 harsh or corrosive in tone; "an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose"; "a barrage of acid comments"; "her acrid remarks make her many enemies"; "bitter words"; "blistering criticism"; "caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics"; "a sulfurous denunciation" [syn: acerbic, acid, acrid, bitter, blistering, caustic, sulfurous, sulphurous, venomous, virulent, vitriolic]

English

Etymology

Latin acerbus, from acer sharp: compare French acerbe. See acrid

Pronunciation

a*cerb AAH-suhrb

Adjective

1. Sour, bitter, and harsh to the taste, as unripe fruit.
2. Sharp and harsh in expressing oneself.

Synonyms

• acerbic

Related terms

• acerbate
• acerbically
• acerbity
• exacerbate

Translations