n.
Pronunciation: a- ' sper- ə -t ē , ə -, - ' spe-r ə -
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ties
Etymology: Middle English asprete, from Anglo-French aspreté, from aspre rough, from Latin asper, from Old Latin *absperos, from ab- ab- + -speros; akin to Sanskrit apasphura repelling, Latin spernere to spurn ― more at SPURN
Date: 13th century
1 : RIGOR , SEVERITY
2 a : roughness of surface : UNEVENNESS also : a tiny projection from a surface b : roughness of sound
3 : roughness of manner or of temper : HARSHNESS <asked with some asperity just what they were implying>