acerbicadjectiveCorpus examplesacerbicacerbica‧cer‧bic /E™EˆsEœE?bE?k $ -EœE?r-/ adjectiveDate: 1800-1900 Language: Latin Origin: acerbus, from acerâ€?sharp’ CRITICIZEcriticizing someone or something in a clever but cruel way SYN biting: acerbic wit—acerbityacerbity noun [uncountable]