acerbity
Other forms: acerbities
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.
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a sharp bitterness
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a sharp sour taste
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a rough and bitter mannersynonyms: acrimony, bitterness, jaundice, tartness, thorninesstype of:disagreeablenessan ill-tempered and offensive disposition
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Vocabulary lists containing acerbity
In 19th-century London, orphan Oliver Twist runs away from a workhouse and takes up with a scrappy gang of thieves. Read the full text here.
In the first book of the Ranger's Apprentice series, Will is chosen to train as a Ranger and prepare for battle with the evil Morgarath.
This novel relates the history of the cursed Pyncheon family and the ill-gotten mansion that brings them nothing but misery. Read the full text here.