Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
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- [uh-surb]
- /əˈsɜrb/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [uh-surb]
- /əˈsɜrb/
Definitions of acerb word
- adjective acerb bitter or sour 3
- adjective acerb curt, snappy or waspish 3
- abbreviation ACERB acerbic 3
- abbreviation ACERB acerbic. 1
- noun acerb Sour, bitter, and harsh to the taste, as unripe fruit. 1
- adjective acerb Sharp and harsh in expressing oneself. 0
Information block about the term
Origin of acerb
First appearance:
before 1650 One of the 45% oldest English words
1650-60; < Latin acerbus; see acerbic
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Acerb
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
acerb popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 70% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
According to our data about 64% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.
acerb usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for acerb
adj acerb
- acerbic — sour in taste
- acetous — containing, producing, or resembling acetic acid or vinegar
- acid — An acid is a chemical substance, usually a liquid, which contains hydrogen and can react with other substances to form salts. Some acids burn or dissolve other substances that they come into contact with.
- acidulous — rather sour
- acrid — An acrid smell or taste is strong and sharp, and usually unpleasant.
adjective acerb
- sour — having an acid taste, resembling that of vinegar, lemon juice, etc.; tart.