Origin of sharp
before 900; (adj.) Middle English; Old English
scearp; cognate with German
scharf; akin to Irish
cearb a cut (noun), keen (adj.); (adv.) Middle English; Old English
scearpe, derivative of the adj.; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the adj.; (v.) derivative of the adj.
SYNONYMS FOR sharp
1
Sharp,
keen refer to the edge or point of an instrument, tool, and the like.
Sharp applies, in general, to a cutting edge or a point capable of piercing:
a sharp knife; a sharp point.
Keen is usually applied to sharp edges:
a keen sword blade.
6 clear.
8 acrid, bitter, piquant, sour.
10 piercing, nipping, biting.
11 severe, excruciating.
12 unmerciful, cutting, acid, acrimonious, pointed, biting.
16 attentive.
17 clever, discriminating, discerning, perspicacious. As applied to mental qualities,
sharp,
keen,
intelligent,
quick have varying implications.
Sharp suggests an acute, sensitive, alert, penetrating quality:
a sharp mind.
Keen implies observant, incisive, and vigorous:
a keen intellect.
Intelligent means not only acute, alert, and active, but also able to reason and understand:
an intelligent reader.
Quick suggests lively and rapid comprehension, prompt response to instruction, and the like:
quick at figures.
20 shady, deceitful.
OTHER WORDS FROM sharp
Words nearby sharp
Example sentences from the Web for sharpness
British Dictionary definitions for sharpness (1 of 2)
Sharp
/ (ʃɑːp) /
noun
Cecil (James). 1859–1924, British musician, best known for collecting, editing, and publishing English folk songs
British Dictionary definitions for sharpness (2 of 2)
Derived forms of sharp
sharply, adverb sharpness, nounWord Origin for sharp
Old English
scearp; related to Old Norse
skarpr, Old High German
scarpf, Old Irish
cerb, Lettish
skarbs
Idioms and Phrases with sharpness
sharp