acute Definition

acute
adj acuter, acutest

1. Said of the senses: keen, good or sharp; penetrating.

Thesaurus: keen, shrewd, sharp, discerning, astute, clever, intuitive, penetrating, intelligent; Antonym: obtuse.
2. Said of mental powers, etc: quick and very good.
3. Said of a disease or symptoms: arising suddenly and often severe, but of short duration. Compare chronic.

Example: acute bronchitis
Example: acute pain
4. Said of any bad condition or situation: extremely severe.

Example: acute drought
Thesaurus: critical, urgent
5. Said of hospital accommodation: intended for patients with acute illnesses.
6. Said of a sound: high, sharp and shrill.
7. math.
Said of an angle: less than 90°. Compare reflex adj 5, obtuse 3.

noun

1. A sign placed above a vowel in some languages, either to indicate a particular pronunciation of the vowel, as with é in French, or, as in Spanish, to indicate that the vowel is to be stressed.

Form: acute accent (also)

Derivative: acutely
adverb

Derivative: acuteness
noun

Etymology: 16c: from Latin acuere to sharpen.