austere

From Ancient Greek αὐστηρός (austērós, “bitter, harsh”), having the specific meaning "making the tongue dry" (originally used of fruits, wines), related to αὔω (aúō, “to singe”), αὖος (aûos, “dry”).

• (Received Pronunciation): IPA^(key): /ɒˈstɪə(ɹ)/, /ɔːˈstɪə(ɹ)/
• (US)
  • (General American) IPA^(key): /ɔˈstiɹ/, enPR: ôstēr′
  • (cot–caught merger, Inland Northern American): IPA^(key): /ɑˈstiɹ/

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• Rhymes: -ɪə(ɹ)

austere (comparative austerer or more austere, superlative austerest or most austere)

1. Grim or severe in manner or appearance.

   The headmistress was an austere old woman.

2. Lacking decoration; trivial; not extravagant or gaudy.

   The interior of the church was as austere as the parishioners were dour.

• (grim or severe): stern, strict, forbidding
• (lacking trivial decoration): simple, plain, unadorned, unembellished

• (antonym(s) of “not lacking trivial decoration”): overwrought, flamboyant, extravagant, gaudy, flashy

• IPA^(key): /awˈstɛ.re/
• Rhymes: -ɛre
• Hyphenation: au‧stè‧re

austere

1. feminine plural of austero

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /au̯sˈteː.re/, [äu̯s̠ˈt̪eːrɛ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /au̯sˈte.re/, [äu̯sˈt̪ɛːre]

austēre

1. vocative masculine singular of austērus

• “austere”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “austere”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) Perhaps related to Ancient Greek ὄστρεον (óstreon).

austere f (5th declension)

1. oyster (certain edible bivalve mollusks of the order Ostreida)

   austeru zveja ― oyster fishing

   rīt austeres ― to swallow oysters

   austeru lasītāji un lasītājas tur brida kailām kājām ― male and female oyster collectors were wading there (= in shallow water) barefoot

Borrowed from Latin austērus.

austere m or f (plural austeres)

1. austere; severe

• haustere
• auster (masculine only)

Borrowed from Latin austērus.

austere m (oblique and nominative feminine singular austere)

1. (of a flavor) acrid; bitter
2. austere; severe