Word a Day
acerbic
What does acerbic mean?
acerbic (adjective): harsh or corrosive in tone.
Definition: Princeton WordNet 3.1.
How do you use acerbic in a sentence?
- An acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose. (Princeton WordNet 3.1)
Where does acerbic come from?
Attested since the 17th century, from Latin acerbus (“sour, bitter”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What are synonyms of acerbic?
From Princeton WordNet 3.1.
Test yourself: do you know “acerbic”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “acerbic” mean?
widespread; very prevalent
Not quite: that's what ubiquitous means.
shockingly brutal or cruel
Not quite: that's what monstrous means.
offering little or no hope
Not quite: that's what bleak means.
harsh or corrosive in tone
Right! That's what “acerbic” means.
Which word is closest in meaning to “acerbic”?
acid
Right!
smug
Not quite: smug means something else.
arid
Not quite: arid means something else.
meek
Not quite: meek means something else.
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