Acer

n. 1. 1 the family of trees including the maples.
Syn. -- family Aceraceae, maple family [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Acerose; needle-shaped. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Aceric. ] (Chem.) A combination of aceric acid with a salifiable base. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. acerbus, fr. acer sharp: cf. F. acerbe. See Acrid. ] Sour, bitter, and harsh to the taste, as unripe fruit; sharp and harsh. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. acerbatus, p. p. of acerbare, fr. acerbus. ] To sour; to imbitter; to irritate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Sour or severe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. acerbitudo, fr. acerbus. ] Sourness and harshness. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. acerbité, L. acerbitas, fr. acerbus. See Acerb. ] 1. Sourness of taste, with bitterness and astringency, like that of unripe fruit. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Harshness, bitterness, or severity; as, acerbity of temper, of language, of pain. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]