It's the Word of the Day podcast for October 27th.
Today's word is acerbic, spelled A-C-E-R-B-I-C.
Acerbic is an adjective.
Something described as acerbic is sharply or bitingly critical,
sarcastic, or ironic in temper, mood, or tone.
Here's the word used in a sentence from the Boston Globe.
Whether she's giving a sarcastic eye roll, tossing off an acerbic zinger,
or seducing with a come-hither stare,
actress Jennifer Simard intimately understands the art of underplaying.
English speakers created the word acerbic in the 19th century by combining the adjectives acerb with the suffix ic.
A Serb had already been around for a couple centuries, but for most of that time,
it had been used only to describe foods with a sour taste.
A Serb is still around today, but now it's simply a less common synonym of the word acerbic.
Acerbic and a Serb ultimately come from the Latin adjective acerbus,
which can mean harsh or unpleasant.
Another English word that comes from acerbus is exasperate,
which means to make more violent or severe.
With your Word of the Day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.