Essential Word Roots: Fight to the Bitter End: Acer, Acid, Acri

This vocabulary list features words with the Latin roots acer, acid, and acri, meaning "bitter, sour, sharp."
12 words 78 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. acerbic
    sour or bitter in taste
    Cranberry-and-orange relish is a classic, but here, a whole lemon — pith and all — acts as the bitter, acerbic edge that your Thanksgiving plate needs. The New York Times
  2. acerbity
    a sharp bitterness
    Indeed, for the last day or two her aunt's acerbity towards her had been much diminished. Trollope, Anthony
  3. acid
    a sour water-soluble compound with a pH of less than 7
    He poured warm water into a basin and added a few drops of carbolic acid. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
  4. acid rain
    precipitation with toxic gas emissions combined with water
    Oh, and by the way, the loons are disappearing everywhere because their lakes are dying from acid rain. A Walk in the Woods
  5. acidic
    having a pH of less than 7
    This time it's an acidic substance that scalds my throat and makes its way into my nose as well. The Hunger Games
  6. acidification
    the process of shifting toward the lower end of the pH scale
    Climate change causes the glaciers to melt, which causes the acidification of the world’s oceans, resulting in the death of most sea life. We Are the Ants
  7. acidulous
    being sour to the taste
    The berberis produces a berry of acidulous taste, that promised to be useful to us. Fitzroy, Robert
  8. acrid
    strong and sharp, as a taste or smell
    Just a few minutes later, as I was regaining my composure, I noticed the smell of smoke, an acrid odor I couldn’t quite place. Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing
  9. acridness
    extreme bitterness
    He hated the acridness in his mother’s and father’s relationship, the conviction of righteousness they each held on to with both hands. Song of Solomon
  10. acrimonious
    marked by strong resentment or cynicism
    The altercation threatened to descend into an acrimonious civil war, and I did my best to prevent a rupture. Long Walk to Freedom
  11. acrimony
    a rough and bitter manner
    But the deal ended in acrimony and litigation, and she regained possession of her archive in an out-of-court settlement in 2002. The New York Times
    But the deal ended in acrimony and litigation, and she regained possession of her archive in an out-of-court settlement in 2002.The New York Times
  12. exacerbate
    make worse
    I’m frightened, but I’m not sure what I’m afraid of, which just exacerbates the fear. The Girl on the Train
Created on Wed Jan 29 13:13:00 EST 2025 (updated Mon Feb 10 19:26:41 EST 2025)

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