English
acerb
Acerb comes from Latin acerbus ‘sharp, severe, bitter’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱ-‘sharp’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱrós‘sharp’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*akris‘sharp’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEācer‘sharp’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEacerbus‘sharp, severe, bitter’
- Englishearliest quotation 1732acerb
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱ-‘sharp’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱrós‘sharp’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*akris‘sharp’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEācer‘sharp’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEacerbus‘sharp, severe, bitter’
- Englishearliest quotation 1732acerb
Earliest quotation: 1732, Edward Strother: “If you put Spirit of Sulphur to the Peruvian…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- ‘sharp’
hear, edge, egg, ear, acid, hammer, axe, acute, oxide, acne, paragon, acupuncture, hark, acacia, acetate, acumen, acme, acuity, roselle, acyl, rosacea, 72 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱrós ‘sharp’
through Latin ācer ‘sharp’
eager, vinegar, acrimony, acrid, 6 more
through Latin acerbus ‘sharp, severe, bitter’
Today it means
adj Sour, bitter, and harsh to the taste, such as unripe fruit.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- / acerb