acute

Meanings

Plural: acutes

Noun

a mark (') placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation
A person who has the acute form of a disorder, such as schizophrenia.
An accent or tone higher than others.
An acute accent (´).

Adjective

having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
- "acute appendicitis"
- "the acute phase of the illness"
- "acute patients"
of an angle; less than 90 degrees

Adjective Satellite

extremely sharp or intense
- "acute pain"
- "felt acute annoyance"
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
- "an acute observer of politics and politicians"
ending in a sharp point
of critical importance and consequence
- "an acute (or critical) lack of research funds"

Adj

Brief, quick, short.
High or shrill.
Intense; sensitive; sharp.
Urgent.
With the sides meeting directly to form an acute angle (at an apex or base).
Less than 90 degrees.
Having all three interior angles measuring less than 90 degrees.
Of an accent or tone: generally higher than others.
Sharp, produced in the front of the mouth. (See Grave and acute on Wikipedia.Wikipedia)
Of an abnormal condition of recent or sudden onset, in contrast to delayed onset; this sense does not imply severity, unlike the common usage.
Of a short-lived condition, in contrast to a chronic condition; this sense also does not imply severity.
Of a letter of the alphabet, having an acute accent.

Verb

To give an acute sound to.
To make acute; to sharpen, to whet.

Origin / Etymology

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”).

Synonyms

acuate, acute accent, acute-angled, ague, discriminating, emergent, fast, incisive, intense, keen, knifelike, needlelike, penetrating, penetrative, peracute, piercing, powerful, pressing, rapid, sharp, strong, sudden

Antonyms

chronic, dull, grave, leisurely, obtuse, obtuse-angled, slow, subacute, witless

Scrabble Score: 7

acute is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
acute is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
acute is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

acute is a valid Words With Friends word