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sourness. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
sourness, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
sourness in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
sourness you have here. The definition of the word
sourness will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
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English
Etymology
From Middle English sowrenesse, sournesse, from Old English sūrnes (“sourness”), equivalent to sour + -ness.
Noun
sourness (countable and uncountable, plural sournesses)
- The condition or quality of being sour.
1603–1604 (date written), [George Chapman], Bussy D’Ambois: A Tragedie: , London: for William Aspley, published 1607, →OCLC, Act I, page 1:[O]ur Tympanouſe ſtatiſts / (In their affected grauitie of voice, / Sovverneſſe of countenance, maners crueltie, / Authoritie, vvealth, and all the ſpavvne of Fortune) / Thinke they beare all the kingdomes vvorth before them; […]
1811, [Jane Austen], chapter XII, in Sense and Sensibility , volume II, London: C Roworth, , and published by T Egerton, , →OCLC, page 226:Mrs. Ferrars was a little, thin woman, upright, even to formality, in her figure, and serious, even to sourness, in her aspect.
Usage notes
Often used figuratively to refer to a person’s temperament.
Translations
condition or quality of being sour
of a person’s temperament
Anagrams