acerbity

American  

[uh-sur-bi-tee] / əˈsɜr bɪ ti /

noun

1. sourness, with roughness or astringency of taste.

2. harshness or severity, as of temper or expression.

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acerbity British  

/ əˈsɜːbɪtɪ /

noun

1. vitriolic or embittered speech, temper, etc

2. sourness or bitterness of taste

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Etymology

Origin of acerbity

From the Latin word acerbitās, dating back to 1565–75. See acerbic, -ity

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Explanation

A lemon in your mouth, a mean-spirited neighbor, a roomful of sarcastic people: these are examples of acerbity, a type of harsh bitterness that can leave you stunned. The Latin word acerbus means “sour-tasting,” and that is acerbity in a nutshell: sour. Many foods have acerbity, like limes and pickles. Acerbity can also be a personality trait, like a professor who snaps at you if you talk in class. In Charles Dickens’s novel A Christmas Carol, the character Ebenezer Scrooge is a great example of acerbity. He is a bitter, stingy businessman who won’t help anyone but himself. Don’t worry; he learns his lesson in the end.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

acerbity

As her New York Times obituary put it, “She specialized in sourness, or, more politely, acerbity, which she used to her comic advantage in roles as housekeepers, spinsters, wicked stepmothers, nuns and back-talking secretaries.”

From Slate ● Aug. 16, 2019

It brings together judgment and gentleness, reason and passion, acerbity and receptivity.

From The Guardian ● Sep. 21, 2018

Evelyn has the sharpest tongue, and Ms. Parsons, with her tart acerbity, makes the most of it.

From New York Times ● Jun. 19, 2016

It sounds treacly, but Linklater handles the sentiment with a light touch of acerbity and sets it off against another dramatic element, the troubled undercurrents that arise inevitably from the student-athlete’s circumstances.

From The New Yorker ● Apr. 5, 2016

And, in a fourth, a selfish acerbity, which exacts the most unreasonable services, and never cheers a clerk with a word of encouragement.—These are sad infirmities.

From The Gentlemen's Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness Being a Complete Guide for a Gentleman's Conduct in all his Relations Towards Society by Cecil B. Hartley

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