Very strict and simple living with few comforts or luxuries, often imposed by government during economic hardship.
From Latin 'austerus,' meaning harsh or sour. It evolved through Old French to describe both personality traits and economic policies of restraint.
Austerity measures became famous during the 2008 financial crisis when governments cut spending—but the word comes from ancient philosophy where voluntary simplicity was considered a virtue!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.