Acidly

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner that is sharp, bitter, or cutting in tone or attitude
2. Expressing something with a biting or caustic edge
3. Done with a sour or harsh quality that conveys irritation or criticism

Etymology: "Acidly" is a plain formation: the adjective "acid" with the adverb-forming suffix "-ly". The adjective came into English from French "acide", which was itself borrowed from Latin "acidus", meaning sour or tart. That Latin word goes back to "acere", "to be sharp or sour", and the same root gave English words like "acerbic" and "acrid". So the core idea of the word has always been sharpness on the tongue. The suffix is the older part of the story. "-ly" descends from Old English "-līc", a word meaning "body" or "form" that turned into a general marker of manner, so "acidly" literally means "in the manner of something acid." The shape of the word is therefore Germanic while its stem is Latin.

Synonyms: bitterly, sarcastically

Antonyms: sweetly, gently