The original Latin word meaning harsh, stern, or sour, from which English words like 'austere' and 'austerity' are derived.
Direct from Latin 'austerus,' possibly related to Latin 'aurire' (to burn or shine), or influenced by Greek 'austeros' (harsh, dry). The word's origin is debated among etymologists.
Latin 'austerus' is the linguistic ancestor of English austere, French austère, Spanish austero—it spread across Romance languages because medieval monks who wrote in Latin heavily influenced European languages. Those stern monastic types really shaped our vocabulary!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.