acetous

A1C3E1T1O1U1S1
/ˈæ.sɪ.təs//əˈsiː.təs/

adjective

Having a sour taste; sour; acid.

“acetous fermentation”

Similar
acetosevinegaryvinegarishsour
OriginLatin acētum →
Scrabble 9
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Meanings

adjectiveacetous (comparative more acetous, superlative most acetous)

comparative more acetous · superlative most acetous

  1. Having a sour taste; sour; acid.

    an acetous spirit

    1680, Robert Boyle, Experiments and Notes about the Producibleness of Chemical Principles
    2 more examples

    a liquid of an acetous kind

    1778, Robert Lowth, “Notes on Isaiah”, in Isaiah, a New Translation

    food unsalted, unsweetened, unpeppered, unspiced and unvinegared, and unspoiled by other acetous or alcoholic fermentations

    1909, Silas Comfort Swallow, III Score & X, page 82
  2. Causing, or connected with, acetification

    acetous fermentation

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivetasting or smelling like vinegar

Similar
acetosevinegaryvinegarishsour
Also see
acetosesourvinegarishvinegary

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinacētum“vinegar”
  2. Englishacetous

From Latin acētum (“vinegar”) + -ous, the former from aceō (“to be sour”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

actuoseoutcase
Cite this entry
APA

acetous. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acetous

MLA

“acetous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acetous. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “acetous,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acetous.

Source: acetous on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.