asper

A1S1P3E1R1
UK/ˈæspə/US/ˈæspəɹ/

adjective

Rough or harsh; severe, stern, serious.

OriginMiddle English aspre ← Old French aspre ← Latin asper →
UncommonScrabble 7
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Meanings

asper1

adjectiveasper (comparative more asper, superlative most asper)

comparative more asper · superlative most asper · alternative aspre

  1. obsoleteRough or harsh; severe, stern, serious.

    An asper sound.

    1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC
nounasper (uncountable)

alternative aspre

  1. obsoleteuncountablehuman sciencesRough breathing; a mark (#) indicating that part of a word is aspirated, or pronounced with h before it.

asper2

nounasper (plural aspers)

plural aspers · alternative aspron

  1. historicalAny one of several small coins, circulated around the eastern Mediterranean area from the 12th to 17th centuries.

    And for ten Aspers you shall daily finde some amongst them, that will give themselves a deepe gash with a Scimitarie, either in their armes or thighes.

    1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 40, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC

Asper3

proper nounAsper (plural Aspers)

plural Aspers

  1. A surname.

Origin

asper · adjective, noun

  1. Latinasper“rough”
  2. Old Frenchaspre
  3. Middle Englishaspre
  4. Englishasper

From Middle English aspre, from Old French aspre (modern French âpre), from Latin asper (“rough”).

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

asper · noun

  1. Latinasper“rough, newly minted”
  2. Ancient Greekἄσπρον
  3. Italianaspro
  4. Middle Frenchaspre
  5. Middle Englishasper
  6. Englishasper

From Middle English asper, from Middle French aspre or Italian aspro, both from Ancient Greek ἄσπρον (áspron), from neuter of ἄσπρος (áspros, “white”), from Latin asper (“rough, newly minted”).

More words from Middle English, Middle French, Italian

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

spareparsespearpearsapresparespresaSperasarpepraseEarpsspaer
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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