# acerb

> English word · Adjective · IPA /əˈsɜːb/

## Definitions
1. Sour, bitter, and harsh to the taste, such as unripe fruit.
2. Sharp and harsh in expressing oneself.

## Etymology
From Latin acerbus, from Latin ācer (“sharp”): compare French acerbe. See acrid.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/acerb