acidulous

[ uh-sij-uh-luhs ]

adjective

1. slightly sour.
2. sharp; caustic:

   his acidulous criticism of the book.

3. moderately acid or tart; subacid.

acidulous

/ əˈsɪdjʊləs /

adjective

1. rather sour
2. sharp or sour in speech, manner, etc; acid

Other Words From

• suba·cidu·lous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of acidulous¹

From the Latin word acidulus, dating back to 1760–70. See acid, -ulous

Word History and Origins

Origin of acidulous¹

C18: from Latin acidulus sourish, diminutive of acidus sour

Example Sentences

People often quote the acidulous writer H.L.

From Los Angeles Times

But I was dying to see what she’d do with Joanne, the role originated by Elaine Stritch, who long owned the character’s acidulous second-act number, “The Ladies Who Lunch.”

From Los Angeles Times

By 1961, another critic for the Times, Howard Taubman, was pronouncing the musical “wonderful” and “vivid proof of what a great musical can be,” declaring that “its disenchanted, acidulous mood conforms well with the realism, if not cynicism, of our day.”

From New York Times

Sharp observations like these show us glimpses of the acidulous social satirist of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

From Washington Post

In his review of the season for The New York Times, Mike Hale called the show “one of the most twisted, acidulous and sex-drenched” romantic comedies on TV, writing that Wednesday’s finale “answers the questions and satisfies the emotions without short-selling the serious issues.”

From New York Times