acerbitas Latin · revision 31513

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=ine-pro *h₂eḱ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [aˈkɛr.bɪ.taːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [aˈt͡ʃɛr.bi.tas]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''acerbitās''' ''f'' (genitive acerbitātis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|acerbus|-tās]], from the adjective “sour, harsh”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)^(Lewis & Short 1879) De Vaan reports Schrijver's view that ⟨acerbus⟩ contains an adjective ⟨*akro-⟩ “sharp”, beside [[ācer|t=sharp]]; he derives ⟨ācer⟩ from [[itc-pro|*ā̆kri-|t=sharp]] and [[ine-pro|*h₂eḱ-ro-|t=sharp]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cicero,^(Köbler 2010) who speaks figuratively of fruits not rich and pleasant but mixed with great sourness.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its literal sense is sourness or harshness of taste, like that of unripe fruit.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Of people and actions it is harshness, severity or cruelty, as Cicero's “harshness imitates justice”, and of writings a satirical edge, as Quintilian's sharpness and wit in Lucilius.^(OLD 2012) It is also a painful experience or distress, and ill feeling, bitterness or spleen, as Cicero's great bitterness and hatred.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “bitterness, evil, sinfulness”.^(Stelten 1995) English ''acerbity'' is from it in the 1570s, through French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of sour fruit, of severity and of bitterness.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian of the satirical edge of Lucilius.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1570s – English [[m|en|acerbity]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Sourness, harshness of taste.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Harshness, [[m|en|severity]], cruelty; in writing, [[m|en|asperity]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A painful experience, suffering, distress.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Ill feeling, [[m|en|bitterness]], spleen.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[acerbus]]

+ * [[ācer]]

+ * [[exacerbō]]

+ * [[en|acerbity]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}