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acute

adj. · n.
US //əkˈjut// UK //ɐkjˈuːt// acute
  1. 1 intense or severe (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    used to describe a problem or feeling that is very strong or serious.

    denoting a physical or emotional state characterized by extreme intensity or severity.

    Example

    The patient felt an acute pain in her chest and called for help.

    Example

    The region is currently facing an acute shortage of clean water following the failure of the primary desalination plant.
  2. 2 keen or clever (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    describing a mind or sense that is very quick to notice small details.

    characterized by sharpness of intellect or perception; showing an ability to understand complex situations quickly.

    Example

    Dogs have an acute sense of smell that helps them find hidden items.

    Example

    Her acute observations regarding the company's fiscal vulnerabilities allowed the board to intervene before the market crashed.
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  1. 3 medical onset (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    describing an illness that starts suddenly and lasts for a short time.

    referring to a condition with a rapid onset and a short course, as opposed to a chronic condition.

    Example

    He was admitted to the hospital with acute appendicitis.

    Example

    Distinguishing between acute and chronic symptoms is essential for determining the appropriate course of emergency treatment.
  2. 4 geometry (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Math

    describing an angle that is less than 90 degrees.

    denoting an angle of less than 90 degrees or a triangle with all internal angles measuring less than 90 degrees.

    Example

    The roof was built at an acute angle to help the snow slide off.

    Example

    The architect utilized acute angles in the building's facade to create a sense of dynamic movement and modernism.
  3. 5 the accent mark (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Linguistics

    the small mark (´) placed over a letter to show how it is pronounced.

    a diacritical mark used in various languages to indicate vowel quality, length, or pitch.

    Example

    The word 'café' is written with an acute on the final letter.

    Example

    In French orthography, the acute appears exclusively over the letter 'e' to indicate a specific close-mid vowel sound.
Origin

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”).

Word family

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