Acridness

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈækɹɪdnəs/

Definitions

1. A harsh, bitter, or unpleasantly pungent quality in taste, smell, or manner that irritates or offends
2. A quality characterized by a sharp, biting, or irritating sensation involving taste, smell, or demeanor that may provoke discomfort or displeasure
3. An aspect marked by a stinging, caustic, or sour taste and odor, as well as an abrasive attitude that can cause annoyance or distress

Etymology: Acridness is a plain formation: the adjective "acrid" with the suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun naming the quality it describes. The suffix has a long pedigree in English, descending from Old English "-nes," which itself traces back through Germanic roots to a Proto-Indo-European pattern used for forming abstract nouns. Its ancestry is far older than the adjective it attaches to. The adjective "acrid" is the more interesting half. It belongs to the same family as "acrimony" and "acrimonious," words that carry the sense of bitterness or sharpness of feeling, and the physical sense of a stinging smell or taste came first. Because "acridness" simply names that quality, it can describe a sharp smell of smoke, a bitter taste, or a harsh manner of speaking with equal ease.

Synonyms: bitterness, sharpness, sourness, stinging, pungency

Antonyms: sweetness, mildness, gentleness, smoothness, pleasantness