acute
pronunciation
How to pronounce acute in British English:
UK [əˈkjuːt]
How to pronounce acute in American English:
US [əˈkjuːt]
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- Noun:
- a mark (') placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation
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- Adjective:
- having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
- extremely sharp or intense
- having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
- of an angle; less than 90 degrees
- ending in a sharp point
- of critical importance and consequence
Word Origin
- acute
- acute: [14] Acute derives from Latin acūtus ‘sharp’ (which was also the source of English ague). This was the past participle of the verb acuere ‘sharpen’, which in turn was probably formed from the noun acus ‘needle’. Like the related acid, acetic, and acrid, it can be traced back to an Indo-European base *ak- ‘be pointed’, which was also the ultimate source of oxygen and edge.=> acetic, acid, acrid, ague, cute, edge, oxygen
- acute (adj.)
- late 14c., originally of fevers and diseases, "coming and going quickly" (opposed to a chronic), from Latin acutus "sharp, pointed," figuratively "shrill, penetrating; intelligent, cunning," past participle of acuere "sharpen" (see acuity). Meaning "sharp, irritating" is from early 15c. Meaning "intense" is from 1727. Related: Acutely; acuteness.
Antonym
Example
- 1. In 2006 , he was diagnosed with acute leukemia .
- 2. The problem will be most acute in emerging economies .
- 3. He is more than an acute analyst . He is also brave .
- 4. China 's rapid development has left it with an acute problem : a lack of skilled , experienced leaders .
- 5. With his headache becoming more acute , he contemplated crossing the interstate to search the other side .