Main Entry: acute

Pronunciation: \ə-ˈkyüt\

Function: adjective

Inflected Form(s): acut·er; acut·est

Etymology: Middle English, from Latin acutus, past participle of acuere to sharpen, from acus needle; akin to Latin acer sharp — more at edge

Date: 14th century

1 a (1) : characterized by sharpness or severity <acute pain> (2) : having a sudden onset, sharp rise, and short course <acute disease> (3) : being, providing, or requiring short-term medical care (as for serious illness or traumatic injury) <acute hospitals> <an acute patient> b : lasting a short time <acute experiments>
2 : ending in a sharp point: as a : being or forming an angle measuring less than 90 degrees <an acute angle> b : composed of acute angles <an acute triangle>
3 a of an accent mark : having the form ´ b : marked with an acute accent c : of the variety indicated by an acute accent
4 a : marked by keen discernment or intellectual perception especially of subtle distinctions : penetrating <an acute thinker> b : responsive to slight impressions or stimuli <acute hearing>
5 : felt, perceived, or experienced intensely <acute distress>
6 : seriously demanding urgent attention <an acute emergency>

— acute·ly adverb

— acute·ness noun

synonyms acute, critical, crucial mean of uncertain outcome. acute stresses intensification of conditions leading to a culmination or breaking point <an acute housing shortage>. critical adds to acute implications of imminent change, of attendant suspense, and of decisiveness in the outcome <the war has entered a critical phase>. crucial suggests a dividing of the ways and often a test or trial involving the determination of a future course or direction <a crucial vote>.

synonyms see in addition sharp