Meanings
- obsoleteuncountableSharpness, keenness or acridity.
The molasses of beet-roots take with them all the acrity of the root, and moreover […]
1830, Augustin Pierre DUBRUNFAUT, A complete treatise on the art of Distillation ... from the French of Dubrunfaut, by J. Sheridan. To which is prefixed, the Distillers' Practical Guide, by P. Jonas. ... Fourth edition, page 3082 more examples
that is by the acrity of Prudence and severity of judgement, by whose vigor and efficacy, they see into the falsity & vanity of these errours. And by this their hatred of pravity, and good zeal to Religion, they purchase to themselves great[…]
1669, Francis Bacon, The Wisdome of the Ancients, page 66[page 31:] […] the discharge is serous, although, indeed, it acquires sometimes an acrity which attacks the nostrils and lips. […] [page 49:] […] on account of the acrity of the intestinal matters.
1884, Adolphe Burggraeve, The New handbook of dosimetric therapeutics, pages 31, 49
Origin
- Latinacritas
- Englishacrity
From Latin acritas, from ācer (“sharp, pungent”) + -itās.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
acrity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acrity
“acrity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acrity. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “acrity,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acrity.
Source: acrity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.