austere

From Ancient Greek αὐστηρός (austērós, “bitter, harsh”), having the specific meaning "making the tongue dry" (originally used of fruits, wines), related to αὔω (aúō, “to singe”), αὖος (aûos, “dry”).

• (Received Pronunciation): IPA^(key): /ɒstɪə(ɹ)/, /ɔːstɪə(ɹ)/
• (US)
  • (General American) IPA^(key): /ɔˈstiɹ/, enPR: ôstēr′
  • (cot–caught merger, northern cities vowel shift): IPA^(key): /ɑˈstiɹ/

  • Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)

austere (comparative austerer or more austere, superlative austerest or most austere)

1. Grim or severe in manner or appearance

   The headmistress was an austere old woman.

2. Lacking trivial decoration; not extravagant or gaudy

   The interior of the church was as austere as the parishioners were dour.

• (grim or severe): stern, strict, forbidding
• (lacking trivial decoration): simple, plain, unadorned, unembellished

• (not lacking trivial decoration): overwrought, flamboyant, extravagant, gaudy, flashy

• austerity
• austerely

austere f pl

1. Feminine plural of adjective austero.

austēre

1. vocative masculine singular of austērus

• austere in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• austere in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers

Perhaps related to Ancient Greek ὄστρεον (óstreon).

austere f (5th declension)

1. oyster (certain edible bivalve mollusks of the order Ostreida)

   austeru zveja ― oyster fishing

   rīt austeres ― to swallow oysters

   austeru lasītāji un lasītājas tur brida kailām kājām ― male and female oyster collectors were wading there (= in shallow water) barefoot

Borrowed from Latin austērus.

austere m or f (plural austeres)

1. austere; severe

• haustere
• auster (masculine only)

Borrowed from Latin austērus.

austere m (oblique and nominative feminine singular austere)

1. (of a flavor) acrid; bitter
2. austere; severe