asperity
noun/æˈsperəti/
/æˈsperəti/
[uncountable] (formal)- the fact of being rough or severe, especially in the way you speak to or treat somebody synonym harshness
- She pointed out, with some asperity, that it had all been my fault.
- There was a touch of asperity in his tone.
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘hardship, rigour’): from Old French asperite, or Latin asperitas, from asper ‘rough’.Want to learn more?
Find out which words work together and produce more natural sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app.
Check pronunciation:
asperity