acrid

[ ak-rid ]

/ ˈæk rɪd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR acrid ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

sharp or biting to the taste or smell; bitterly pungent; irritating to the eyes, nose, etc.: acrid smoke from burning rubber.

extremely or sharply stinging or bitter; exceedingly caustic: acrid remarks.

Nearby words

Origin of acrid

1705–15; < Latin ācr- (stem of ācer) sharp, sour + -id⁴, perhaps through influence of acid

Related forms

a·crid·i·ty

[uh-krid-i-tee] /əˈkrɪd ɪ ti/, ac·rid·ness, nounac·rid·ly, adverbsub·ac·rid, adjectivesub·ac·rid·ly, adverb

sub·ac·rid·ness, nounsub·a·crid·i·ty, noun

Can be confusedacerbic acid acrid

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for acrid

Unlike California, it was physical, ugly and acrid back then.
Asians vs. Affirmative Action|Lloyd Green|March 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With 2014 as a congressional election year, the acrid scrums of 2013 will give way to the combat of the campaign.
Want Hope in 2014? Forget Politics, Focus on Energy and Medicine|Lloyd Green|December 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Amidst much screeching of breaks and the acrid smell of burning rubber, Cameron executed a high speed u-turn.
The Cameron Option|Peter Oborne|November 12, 2008|DAILY BEAST
They were hitting on all cylinders as they mined the acrid ore of Mamet's singular cynicism.
First Peek: Jeremy Piven Debuts On Broadway|Kevin Sessums|October 5, 2008|DAILY BEAST

But he was far from conceiving the acrid nature of her feelings towards him.
A Charming Fellow, Volume III (of 3)|Frances Eleanor Trollope
From the cabin of the Adventurer floated up the acrid smoke of Wink's revolver.
The Adventure Club Afloat|Ralph Henry Barbour
Materially it is an acrid saliva, withering where it drops; in the way of fellowship it is a corpse-emanation.
Beauchamp's Career, Complete|George Meredith
The leaves are acrid, and emit a pungent odour when handled.
The Culture of Vegetables and Flowers From Seeds and Roots, 16th Edition|Sutton and Sons
The acrid Diuretics are perhaps the most powerful medicines in the order.
The Action of Medicines in the System|Frederick William Headland

British Dictionary definitions for acrid

acrid

/ (ˈækrɪd) /

adjective

unpleasantly pungent or sharp to the smell or taste

sharp or caustic, esp in speech or nature

Derived Formsacridity (əˈkrɪdɪtɪ) or acridness, nounacridly, adverb

Word Origin for acrid

C18: from Latin ācer sharp, sour; probably formed on the model of acid

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for acrid

acrid

adj.

1712, formed irregularly from Latin acer (fem. acris) "sharp, pungent, bitter, eager, fierce," from PIE *akri- "sharp," from root *ak- "be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce" (cf. Oscan akrid (ablative singular) "sharply;" Greek akis "sharp point," akros "at the farthest point, highest, outermost," akantha "thorn," akme "summit, edge;" also oxys "sharp, bitter;" Sanskrit acri- "corner, edge," acani- "point of an arrow," asrih "edge;" Lithuanian ašmuo "sharpness," akstis "sharp stick;" Old Lithuanian aštras, Lithuanian aštrus "sharp;" Old Church Slavonic ostru, Russian óstryj "sharp;" Old Irish er "high;" Welsh ochr "edge, corner, border;" Old Norse eggja "goad;" Old English ecg "sword"). The -id suffix probably is in imitation of acid. Acrious (1670s) is a correct formation, but seldom seen.

Medicine definitions for acrid

acrid

[ ăk′rĭd ]

adj.

Unpleasantly sharp, pungent, or bitter to the taste or smell.

Related formsa•crid′i•ty (ə-krĭd′ĭ-tē) null n.

acrid

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of acrid

Examples from the Web for acrid

acrid

adjective

Word Origin for acrid

acrid

acrid

adj.