sour en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- [ˈsɑː] triphthong smoothing
- /ˈsæɔ.ə/ (Australia)
- [ˈsɑːə] triphthong smoothing
- /ˈsaʊ.ə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈsaʊ.ɚ/ (Canada, General-American)
- (California) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *súHros Proto-Germanic *sūraz Proto-West Germanic *sūr Old English sūr Middle English sour English sour From Middle English sour, from Old English sūr (“sour”), from Proto-West Germanic *sūr, from Proto-Germanic *sūraz (“sour”), from Proto-Indo-European *súHros (“sour”). Cognate with West Frisian soer, Dutch zuur (“sour”), Low German suur, German sauer (“sour”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish sur (“sour”), French sur (“sour”), Faroese súrur (“sour”), Icelandic súr (“sour, bitter”), Polish ser (“cheese”), Czech sýr (“cheese”), Slovak syr (“cheese”), Russian сырой (syroj, “raw”), Ukrainian сири́й (syrýj, “raw”), Old Church Slavonic сꙑръ (syrŭ, “moist, cheese”).
Meanings
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Tasting of acidity.
A few types of molecules get sensed by receptors on the tongue. Protons coming off of acids ping receptors for "sour." Sugars get received as "sweet." Bitter, salty, and the proteinaceous flavor umami all set off their own neural cascades.
2018 May 16, Adam Rogers, “The Fundamental Nihilism of Yanny vs. Laurel”, in Wired:Lemons have a sour taste.
All sour things, as vinegar, provoke appetite.
1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
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Made rancid by fermentation, etc.
Don't drink that milk; it's turned sour.
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Tasting or smelling rancid.
His sour breath makes it unpleasing to talk to him.
-
(of a person's character) Hostile or unfriendly.
He was a scholar […] / Lofty and sour to them that loved him not, / But to those men that sought him sweet as summer.
c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:He gave me a sour look.
-
Excessively acidic and thus infertile. (of soil)
sour land
a sour marsh
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Containing excess sulfur. (of petroleum)
sour gas smells like rotten eggs
-
Unfortunate or unfavorable.
The result may not quite give the Wearsiders a sweet ending to what has been a sour week, following allegations of sexual assault and drug possession against defender Titus Bramble, but it does at least demonstrate that their spirit remains strong in the face of adversity.
2011 October 1, Phil Dawkes, “Sunderland 2 - 2 West Brom”, in BBC Sport:Let me embrace thee, sour adversity
1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:
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Off-pitch, out of tune.
Unlike what the name implies, there is nothing inherently wrong with a sour note: It is perfectly well-tuned note that would sound normal in another context (and which presumably would not sound sour to someone unfamiliar with tonal music).
2010, Aniruddh D. Patel, Music, Language, and the Brain, page 201:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| sourest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| sowre | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| sower | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| sourer | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
sweet (antonym(s) of “soil, petroleum”)
Deriveds
sourbelly · sourgrass · sour gum · sour-sweet · sour corn · sour gas · souren · sweet-and-sour sauce · fine and dandy like sour candy · sour tooth · sourbush · sweet-and-sour · sourstuff · sour honey · sourbread · soursop · sour diesel · sourhead · oversour · sourwood · sourly · sourish · sour mix · sourfaux · sour puss · leave a sour taste in one's mouth · hot and sour soup · sourpuss · sour shchi · sourdough · sour grapes · sour plum · sour crude · sour cherry · sour krout · sour fig · sour cream · for sour apples · sourweed · the grapes are sour anyway · sourness · sour note · sour-faced · sour on · sourfaced · sour orange · sour stomach · go sour · sour milk · sorrel · New York sour · sourhearted · sourful · sour worm · sour grass · sourberry · sour beer · sour mash · sourball · sour gourd
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
vinegarlike · acidulous · limelike · lemony · limey · lemonlike · vinegary · lemon · acescent · sourish · vinegarish · lemonish · picklesome
Relateds
Synonyms
acidulent · tart · acetose · acid · acetous · sour
Translations (281)
enm sowre (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ky кычкыл (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · tr ekşi (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · mba mapodos (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · sl kisel (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · as টেঙা (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · krj aslëm (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · gd gruamach (peevish or bad-tempered) · an agro (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · sk kyslý (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · da sur (tasting or smelling rancid) · liv appõn (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · uk ки́слий (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ota حامض (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · my ချဉ် (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · gd goirt (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · ja すっぱい (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · cu кꙑсѣлъ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · lus thûr (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · cy egr (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · tr bayat (tasting or smelling rancid) · sv sur (peevish or bad-tempered) · tet siin (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ka მჟავე (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · tl maasim (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · bo སྐྱུར་མོ (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · alt кычкыл (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · it agro (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · sq thartë (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · lzz მჟაი (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · gd goirt (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · eu garratz (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · mrw asem (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · pt azedo (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fi hapan (peevish or bad-tempered) · kw trenk (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · oc agre (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · zlw-ocs kysělý (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · de gesäuert (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · mk ски́снат (tasting or smelling rancid) · tk turşy (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fj wiwi (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · yue 酸 (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · non súrr (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · tsg maaslum (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · gl rabechudo (peevish or bad-tempered) · gl agre (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · lv skābs (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · gl asmo (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · gl acedo (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · da sur (peevish or bad-tempered) · mr आंबट (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · lv skābs (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · mt qares (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fr revêche (peevish or bad-tempered) · nrf su (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · sv sur (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · bg киселинен ((of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile) · pl kwaśny (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fi nyreä (peevish or bad-tempered) · qu k'allku (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · lv skābs ((of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile) · jv kecut (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · gl mucio (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · tpw aî (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ttt turş (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · km ជូរ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · el ξινός (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · da sur (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · de herb (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · bcl maalsom (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · hy թթու (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · uz achchiq (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · bg раздразнителен (peevish or bad-tempered) · de sauer (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · pt carrancudo (peevish or bad-tempered) · haw ʻawaʻawa (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ro acru (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · pt ácido ((of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile) · bg ки́сел (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · pt rançoso (tasting or smelling rancid) · ar حَامِض (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fi nyrpeä (peevish or bad-tempered) · de übellaunig (peevish or bad-tempered) · shn သူမ်ႈ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · kk қышқыл (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · la acidus (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · de sauer (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · el όξινος ((of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile) · kmr tirş (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · inh миста (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · dlg аһыы (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ms asam (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fi hapan (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · el ξινισμένος (tasting or smelling rancid) · gl cedizo (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fi hapantunut (tasting or smelling rancid) · es avinagrado (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · haw ʻawa (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · lt rūgštus (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · th เปรี้ยว (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · es acedo (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · sv sur (tasting or smelling rancid) · sip སྐྱུམ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fr sur (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · mns-nor восьрамыӈ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · de verbittert (peevish or bad-tempered) · lo ປ້ຽວ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · eo acida (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · pt coalhado (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · el ξινισμένος (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · ca agre (tasting or smelling rancid) · lmo brusch (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · es ácido (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · hil maaslum (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ast ácidu (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · tly tırş (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · uz nordon (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · hu fanyar (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · de sauer (tasting or smelling rancid) · gl picado (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · gl ábrago (tasting or smelling rancid) · fr aigre (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · cs mrzutý (peevish or bad-tempered) · pam maslam (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ko 시다 (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ro acru (tasting or smelling rancid) · vi chua (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ko 시어진 (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · ko 신 (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · or ଆମ୍ବିଳିଆ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fr tourné (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · hi खट्टा (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · de garstig (tasting or smelling rancid) · xmf მჟავე (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · mrw malasem (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ca agre (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · ty ʻavaʻava (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fi hapan (tasting or smelling rancid) · cy sur (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · nl zuur (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · tg туруш (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · cs zahořklý (peevish or bad-tempered) · eo acerba (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · et hapu (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · hsb kisały (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · lo ສົ້ມ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · mdh masem (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · gl chirlo (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ilo naalsem (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ang sūr (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ja 酸っぱい (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · cs zkyslý (tasting or smelling rancid) · fo súrur (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · bn টেঙ্গা (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · cs kyselý (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · tr asık suratlı (peevish or bad-tempered) · grc στρυφνός (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · lv skābēts (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · tr acımış (tasting or smelling rancid) · ca àcid (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fr rance (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · bo སྐྱུར་མོ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · pl zjełczały (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · fr acerbe (peevish or bad-tempered) · he חָמוּץ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fi härskiintynyt (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · de versauert ((of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile) · ckb تِرش (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · min masam (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · id diasami (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · ko 비뚤어지다 (peevish or bad-tempered) · hy թթու (tasting or smelling rancid) · ru ки́слый (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · el ξινός (peevish or bad-tempered) · ady хафэ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · sh ки̏сео (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · sv försurad ((of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile) · mi ngākaukawa (peevish or bad-tempered) · lv skābēts (tasting or smelling rancid) · gl acedo (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · zza tırş (diq) (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · es acedado (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · nan-hbl 酸 (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · de ranzig (tasting or smelling rancid) · fr acariâtre (peevish or bad-tempered) · ibg nassem (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · mi ngākau kawa (peevish or bad-tempered) · de sauer vergoren (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · ami 'acicim (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fa ترش (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fi kirpeä (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ksw ဆံၣ် (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · cmn 酸 (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fi härski (tasting or smelling rancid) · de angesäuert (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · ast agriu (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · mbb mepezes (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · de bitter (peevish or bad-tempered) · bn খাট্টা (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · is súr (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · izh habrastava (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · sh kȉseo (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ang āfor (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ltg skuobs (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · wa seur (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ur کھٹا (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · de sauer ((of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile) · sv grinig (peevish or bad-tempered) · tr ekşi (tasting or smelling rancid) · da sur ((of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile) · de sauertöpfisch (peevish or bad-tempered) · pdt sua (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · de übelriechend (tasting or smelling rancid) · be кі́слы (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · th ส้ม (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · bg вкиснат (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · lv skābs (tasting or smelling rancid) · gd goirt (tasting or smelling rancid) · fi hapan ((of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile) · fi hapantunut (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · es chocoya (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · rm asch (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ga géar (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · war maaslom (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · chr ᏧᎿᏦᏍᏗ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · gl rabudo (peevish or bad-tempered) · bg вкиснат (tasting or smelling rancid) · mk ски́снат (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · ota اكشی (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · bn চুকা (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · izh hapan (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ru проки́сший (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · ccc chawawa (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · lv skābs (peevish or bad-tempered) · arz مزز (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · kjj мицӏ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · km ខ្មេះ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · zza beyat (tasting or smelling rancid) · ps ترش (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · khb ᦉᦳᧄᧉ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · sva მჷხიმ (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · tr asitli ((of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile) · no sur (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · sv surnad (tasting or smelling rancid) · sv syrlig (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · fr rance (tasting or smelling rancid) · mk кисел (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · de unwirsch (peevish or bad-tempered) · enm sour (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · es acescente (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · ce муьста (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · es agrio (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · hu savanyú (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · mk ки́сел (peevish or bad-tempered) · cs zkysaný (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · cmn 餿 /馊 (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · tr ekşi (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · mk кисела ((of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile) · es agriado (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · sv surnad (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · akl maaslom (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · io acerba (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · id asam (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ceb aslom (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · de verdrießlich (peevish or bad-tempered) · yi זויער (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · mn исгэлэн (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · hy թթու (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · de säuerlich (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · myv чапамо (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · es agrio (tasting or smelling rancid) · az turş (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ro acid ((of soil) excessively acidic and thus infertile) · da sur (made rancid by fermentation, etc.) · mi kawa (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ca agre (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ga géar (tasting or smelling rancid) · dsb kisały (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · ms masam (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste) · sah аһыы (having an acidic, sharp or tangy taste)