Dictionary Entry
acerbic
Part of SpeechadjectivePronunciation/əˈsɜː(ɹ)bɪk/Word FrequencyUncommon (3.6)Curriculum FrequencyLess common (1)Tasting sour or bitter.
In a Sentence
“Her acerbic wit often offended people, even when she didn't mean to.”
Published Usage Examples
“Jane Lynch, known as acerbic cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester on "Glee," will host the event.”
“Frances, 69, best known as the acerbic host of The Weakest Link, is the only silent presence in the room.”
This entry also appears in ReadingWillow Year 10 word lists, so students can move between the dictionary and year-level study sets.
Origin
Latin 'acerbus' meaning sour, bitter.
Common Phrases
wit acerbic. acerbiccomments acerbiccritic acerbiccomment acerbictone acerbicacerbic often
Related Words
Poetry examples for “acerbic”
Excerpts from the ReadingWillow English Library collection.
Poetry examples are still being gathered for this entry. They will appear here once matching poems are available in the library.
