mordacious

adjective

mor·​da·​cious

(ˈ)mȯ(r)¦dāshəs

1

: biting or given to biting

bitten in as with mordacious acid

—Times Literary Supplement

2

: biting or sharp in manner or style : caustic

the lady's mordacious look showed plainly that she hated us all

—Pauline R. Fadiman

mordaciously adverb

Word History

Etymology

Latin mordac-, mordax biting, given to biting (from mordēre to bite) + English -ious

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