acute

Meaning

1. Brief, quick, short.
2. High or shrill.
3. Intense; sensitive; sharp.
4. Urgent.
5. With the sides meeting directly to form an acute angle (at an apex or base).
6. Less than 90 degrees.
7. Having all three interior angles measuring less than 90 degrees.
8. Of an accent or tone: generally higher than others.
9. Sharp, produced in the front of the mouth. (See Grave and acute on Wikipedia.Wikipedia)
10. Of an abnormal condition of recent or sudden onset, in contrast to delayed onset; this sense does not imply severity, unlike the common usage.
11. Of a short-lived condition, in contrast to a chronic condition; this sense also does not imply severity.
12. After a letter of the alphabet: having an acute accent.

sharp

poignant

trenchant

sharp-edged

sharp-toned

sprited

witty

readywitted

long headed

cusped

running a rapid course

observing with subtlety

nonindulgent

pointed-toe

pointy-toed

quick-response

beardown

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əˈkjuːt/

From Late Middle English acute (“of a disease or fever: starting suddenly and lasting for a short time; of a humour: irritating, sharp”), from Latin acūta, from acūtus (“sharp, sharpened”), perfect passive participle of acuō (“to make pointed, sharpen, whet”), from acus (“needle, pin”). The word is cognate to ague (“acute, intermittent fever”). As regards the noun, which is derived from the verb, compare Middle English acūte (“severe but short-lived fever; of blood: corrosiveness, sharpness; musical note of high pitch”).

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