Asper

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈæspə/

Definitions

1. A Latin term historically meaning harsh or severe in manner or tone; a type of stridency or roughness in sound or texture; a sharp and acrid taste or quality
2. Referring to something that is coarse or rough to the touch or in character; a descriptor of bitter or unpleasant sensory experiences; denotes severity or harsh treatment
3. Characterizing an unpleasant roughness or sharpness in physical texture, sound, or behavior; a descriptor for unkind or stern attitudes; indicating a biting or acrid flavor or quality

Etymology: The adjective "asper" meaning "severe in manner" reaches English from Latin "asper", meaning "rough" and, by extension, harsh or unpleasant to the touch or ear. It came into Middle English as "aspre" through Old French, where the modern French "âpre" still carries the sense of rough, bitter or sharp. The sense of harshness moved from surfaces and tastes into character, so a person described as asper is rough-edged in temperament. A second strand runs through Greek. Ancient Greek "áspros" meant "white", and the Latin word "asper" was also used for newly minted coins, which had rough, unworn edges. Medieval Italian and Middle French borrowed that Greek-derived root as the name of a small silver coin, and English took the word "asper" in the same monetary sense. The two lines, one about harsh texture and one about a white coin, meet in the same spelling, which is why the word looks like a single family in English even though its history splits in two.

Synonyms: rough, harsh, abrasive

Antonyms: smooth, soft, gentle