Sour
/ˈsaʊ.ər/noun
Having an acidic taste like lemon or vinegar; also, unfriendly or bad-tempered.
Did you know?The word goes back to Proto-Germanic *sūrą, and its ancient relatives spread through Germanic languages to name both sharp taste and the unsettling feeling of something turning wrong.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sēu-
“to be or become sour, to ferment”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sūrą
“sour, acidic”
Old English
OE
sūr
“sour, tart, sharp-tasting”
Middle English
ME
sour
“acidic; unpleasant in taste or temper”
Modern English
English
sour
“having an acidic taste; also, resentful or bad-tempered”