austere

austere
aus|tere [o:ˈstıə, ɔ- US o:ˈstır] adj
[Date: 1300-1400; : Latin; Origin: austerus, from Greek austeros 'severe']
1.) plain and simple and without any decoration
the church's austere simplicity
2.) someone who is austere is very strict and serious - used to show disapproval
Her father is a very austere man.
3.) an austere way of life is very simple and has few things to make it comfortable or enjoyable
Cuthbert led an austere life of prayer and solitude.
>austerely adv

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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  • austère — [ ostɛr ] adj. • 1120 « âpre »; lat. austerus, du gr. 1 ♦ Qui se montre sévère pour soi, ne s accorde aucun luxe ou plaisir. Un homme austère. ⇒ puritain, rigoriste, sévère, sobre, spartiate, stoïcien. Par ext. ⇒ dur, rigoureux. La vie austère d… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • austère — AUSTÈRE. adj. des 2 g. Qui est rigoureux en ce qui regarde le traitement du corps, et qui mortifie les sens et l esprit. Religion austère. Règle austère. Jeûne austère. Mener une vie austère. Faire une pénitence austère. Il garde un silence… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • austere — AUSTERE. adj. de tout genre, Qui est rigoureux en ce qui regarde le traitement du corps. Religion austere. Ordre austere. regle austere. habit austere. mener une vie austere. faire une penitence austere. jeusne austere. deüil austere. Il signifie …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Austere — Aus*tere , [F. aust[ e]re, L. austerus, fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? to parch, dry. Cf. {Sear}.] 1. Sour and astringent; rough to the state; having acerbity; as, an austere crab apple; austere wine. [1913 Webster] 2. Severe in modes of judging, or living, or …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • austere — (adj.) early 14c., from O.Fr. austere (Mod.Fr. austère) and directly from L. austerus dry, harsh, sour, tart, from Gk. austeros bitter, harsh, especially making the tongue dry (originally used of fruits, wines), metaphorically austere, harsh,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • austere — [adj1] severe in manner ascetic, astringent, cold, earnest, exacting, forbidding, formal, grave, grim, hard, harsh, inexorable, inflexible, obdurate, rigid, rigorous, serious, sober, solemn, somber, stern, stiff, strict, stringent, unfeeling,… …   New thesaurus

  • austere — [ô stir′] adj. [ME < OFr < L austerus, harsh < Gr austēros, dry, harsh < auein, to dry < auos, dry < IE base * saus, dry > SEAR1] 1. having a severe or stern look, manner, etc.; forbidding 2. showing strict self discipline… …   English World dictionary

  • Austère — Austère, (frz. ostär) finster, streng, mürrisch; Austerität, austerité, Ernst, Strenge, finsteres Wesen …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • austere — index astringent, bitter (penetrating), bleak (severely simple), caustic, draconian, harsh, rigid, severe …   Law dictionary

  • austere — *severe, stern, ascetic Analogous words: bald, *bare: unembellished, unadorned, unornamented, undecorated (see affirmative verbs at ADORN): dispassionate (see FAIR): rigorous, strict (see RIGID): grave, somber, *serious, sober, earnest Antonyms:… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • austere — Austere, Austerus …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

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