austere
Grim or severe in manner or appearanceGrim or severe in manner or appearance.
Meaning
4 sensesGrim or severe in manner or appearance.
The headmistress was an austere old woman.
стро́гийstrógij, суро́выйsuróvyj
Lacking decoration; trivial; not extravagant or gaudy.
The interior of the church was as austere as the parishioners were dour.
schlicht, genügsam
просто́йprostój, аскети́чныйasketíčnyj
Adhering to the economic policy of austerity.
Harsh; astringent.
- of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
- severely simple
- practicing great self-denial
Examples
5 sentencesThe president has promised a more austere administration than that of his predecessor.
Austere economic policies have significantly affected economic performance.
The Wadden Sea is a landscape of austere beauty.
deDas Wattenmeer ist eine Landschaft von herber Schönheit. — PeterR
Ms. Eichler had a notorious reputation for being austere to her students.
deFrau Eichler war für ihren Ruf bekannt, streng zu ihren Schülern zu sein. — MUIRIEL
The Treasurer is being accused of robbing Peter to pay Paul to fund his austere budget.
Translations
7 languagesBy meaning 2
By meaning 1
Origin
From Ancient Greek αὐστηρός (austērós, “bitter, harsh, astringent”), having the specific mFrom Ancient Greek αὐστηρός (austērós, “bitter, harsh, astringent”), having the specific meaning “making the tongue dry” (originally used of fruits, wines), related to αὔω (aúō, “to singe”), αὖος (aûos, “dry”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
austerer/more austere, austerest/most austere| Comparative | austerer / more austere Lesson |
|---|---|
| Superlative | austerest / most austere Lesson |
regular
Synonyms
55 synonymsAntonyms
52 antonymsWord family
4 related wordsLessons for this word
2 lessons- A2Comparatives — Because it has a comparative form
- A2Superlatives — Because it has a superlative form
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.