austere
UK /ɒˈstɪə(ɹ)/ · US /ɔˈstiɹ/ adjective
Forms austerer austerest
- adjective Grim or severe in manner or appearance. “The headmistress was an austere old woman.”
- adjective Lacking decoration; trivial; not extravagant or gaudy. “The interior of the church was as austere as the parishioners were dour.”
- adjective Adhering to the economic policy of austerity.
- adjective Harsh; astringent.
Synonyms
stern strict forbidding ascetic brutal callous cold insensate hardhanded cold-eyed cruel dour thick-skinned flint-hearted frosty grim hard hard-boiled hardened hardhearted severe stark ascetical spartan
Antonyms
overwrought flamboyant extravagant gaudy flashy bedizened blatant blingish brash campy catchpenny chichi
Etymology
From Ancient Greek αὐστηρός (austērós, “bitter, harsh, astringent”), having the specific meaning “making the tongue dry” (originally used of fruits, wines), related to αὔω (aúō, “to singe”), αὖος (aûos, “dry”).
Webster’s 1913
- Sour and astringent; rough to the state; having acerbity; as, an austere crab apple; austere wine.
- Severe in modes of judging, or living, or acting; rigid; rigorous; stern; as, an austere man, look, life.
Etymology [F. austère, L. austerus, fr. Gr. Sear.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “austere”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details