Latin exacerbat- "made harsh", from the verb exacerbare, from ex- (expressing...
(Source: Oxford Dictionary) [more]
a state of inflammation or painful reaction to allergy or cell-lining damage. A stimulus or agent which induces the state of irritation is an irritant. Irritants are typically thought of as chemical agents but mechanical, thermal, and radiative stimuli... (39 of 1475 words, 5 images)
to make more violent, bitter, or severe (7 of 189 words, 1 usage example, pronunciations)
To increase the severity, violence, or bitterness of; aggravate (9 of 55 words, 1 usage example, pronunciation)
to make more intense or sharp; aggravate (disease, pain, annoyance, etc.) | to exasperate; annoy; irritate; embitter (16 of 44 words, 2 definitions, pronunciation)
to make a problem become worse (6 of 40 words, pronunciations)
www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/exacerbate
to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate. | to embitter the feelings of (a person); irritate; ... (21 of 32 words, 2 definitions, pronunciation)
[transitive] To make worse (pain, anger, etc.) worse; aggravate. | [transitive] To irritate. (12 of 15 words, 2 definitions, 1 usage example, pronunciation)
to make (pain, disease, emotion, etc) more intense; aggravate | to exasperate or irritate (a person) (15 of 453 words, 2 definitions, 8 usage examples, pronunciations)
www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/exacerbate
make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse (9 of 62 words, 1 usage example, pronunciations)
to make something which is already bad worse (8 of 28 words, 1 usage example, pronunciations)
to make an already bad or problematic situation worse (9 of 63 words, pronunciations)
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First use: mid 17th century
Origin: Latin exacerbat- "made harsh", from the verb exacerbare, from ex- (expressing inducement of a state) + acerbus "harsh, ... (21 of 32 etymology words)
Origin: Latin exacerbāre, exacerbāt-: ex-, intensive prefix; see "ex-" + acerbāre, to make harsh (from acerbus, harsh; see ak- in Indo-European roots).
Origin: Latin exacerbatus, past participle of exacerbare, to exasperate, make angry from ex-, intensive + acerbus, bitter: see "acerbity"
First use: 1660
Origin: Latin exacerbatus, past participle of exacerbare, from ex- + acerbus harsh, bitter, from acer sharp
First use: 1650s
Origin: a back formation from exacerbation or else from Latin exacerbatus, past participle of exacerbare.
First use: 17th century
Origin: from Latin exacerbāre to irritate, from acerbus bitter
www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/exacerbate
First use: Mid-17th century
Origin: Latin exacerbat-, past participle of exacerbare "make thoroughly harsh" from acerbus "harsh, bitter"
encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861609569/definition.html [offline]
Audio: North American English pronunciation of "exacerbate"
www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/exacerbate
Audio: British English pronunciation of "exacerbate"
www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/exacerbate
Audio: North American pronunciation of "exacerbate"
www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/exacerbate
Audio: North American pronunciation of "exacerbate"
www.merriam-webster.com/audio.php file=exacer01 word=exacerbate
Page last updated: 2013-01-01