adj.
Pronunciation: ' stärk
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, stiff, strong, from Old English stearc; akin to Old High German starc strong, Lithuanian starinti to stiffen ― more at STARE
Date: before 12th century
1 a : rigid in or as if in death b : rigidly conforming (as to a pattern or doctrine) : ABSOLUTE < stark discipline>
2 archaic : STRONG , ROBUST
3 : UTTER , SHEER < stark nonsense>
4 a : BARREN , DESOLATE b (1) : having few or no ornaments : BARE <a stark white room> (2) : HARSH , BLUNT <the stark realities of death>
5 : sharply delineated <a stark contrast>
– stark · ly adverb
– stark · ness noun