asperity Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun something hard to endure
    hardship; rigourousness; severeness; rigor; rigorousness; rigour; grimness; severity.
    • the asperity of northern winters
  2. noun harshness of manner
    sharpness.

WordNet

As*per"i*ty noun
Etymology
L. asperitas, fr. asper rough: cf. F. aspérité.
Wordforms
plural Asperities
Definitions
  1. Roughness of surface; unevenness; -- opposed to smoothness. "The asperities of dry bodies." Boyle.
  2. Roughness or harshness of sound; that quality which grates upon the ear; raucity.
  3. Roughness to the taste; sourness; tartness.
  4. Moral roughness; roughness of manner; severity; crabbedness; harshness; -- opposed to mildness. "Asperity of character." Landor.
    It is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received. Johnson.
  5. Sharpness; disagreeableness; difficulty.
    The acclivities and asperities of duty. Barrow.
    Syn. -- Acrimony; moroseness; crabbedness; harshness; sourness; tartness. See Acrimony.

Webster 1913