Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

austērus, a, um, adj. (auster, Scrib. Comp. 188; sup. austerrimus, Messala, Corv. Progen. Aug. 5), = αὐστηρός.

  1. I.
    1. A. Lit, of taste, harsh, sour, tart (not before the Aug. per.; syn.: acer, acerbus, tristis, severus, molestus): vinum nigrum, Cels. 3, 24: austerior gustus, Col. 12, 12, 2: herba austero sapore, Plin. 25, 5, 20, § 45: vinum austerissimum, Scrib. Comp. 142.
    2. B. Transf.
      1. * 1. Of smell, pungent: balsami sucus: odore austerus, Plin. 12, 25, 54, § 120.
      2. 2. Of color, deep, dark: sunt autem colores austeri aut floridi, Plin. 35, 6, 12, § 30.
        Comp.: (pictor) austerior colore et in austeritate jucundior, Plin. 35, 11, 40, § 134.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. A. Severe, rigid, strict, stern, austere (opp. mol lis, facilis, lenis; scarcely before Cic.): illo austero more ac modo, Cic. Cael. 14, 33; id. de Or. 3, 25, 98: austerior et gravior esse potuisset, id. Pis. 29, 71: Nec gravis austeri poena cavenda viri, Prop. 4, 13, 24: homo austerus es, Vulg. Luc. 19, 21; 19, 22.
      Of discourse, severe, grave, serious: ita sit noLis ornatus et suavis orator, ut suavitatem habeat austeram et solidam, non dulcem atque decoctam (the epithet borrowed from wine), that he may have a severe and solid, not a luscious and effeminate sweetness, Cic. de Or. 3, 26, 103: austera poëmata, Hor. A. P. 342: oratio, Quint. 9, 4, 128 Spald.
      Of style in statuary: genus, Plin. 34, 8, 19, § 66.
    2. B. As the opp. of kind, pleasant, severe, gloomy, sad, troublesome, hard, irksome (so first after the beginning of the Aug. per.): labor, Hor. S. 2, 2, 12: Quaelibet austeras de me ferat urna tabellas, Prop. 5, 11, 49: aeger omnem austeram curationem recusans, Plin. 24, 7, 28, § 43.
      Adv.: