acute

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   very serious or severe

   There is an acute shortage of clean water in the region.

2. 2
   adj

   (of an illness) starting quickly and lasting a short time

   He was taken to hospital with acute appendicitis.

3. 3
   adj

   sharp and able to notice small differences quickly

   Dogs have an acute sense of smell.

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”).

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