Where does “austere” come from?

austere (Latin) comes from Latin austerus, from Ancient Greek αὐστηρός, from Proto-Indo-European h₂sews- — to be dry.

austere (Latin): vocative masculine singular of austērus

Definitions

  1. vocative masculine singular of austērus

Ancestry of “austere”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinausterusaustere, plain; harsh, bitter, sour; sharp,...
2Ancient Greekαὐστηρόςbitter, harsh
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂sews-to be dry
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂sews- →Every word from Ancient Greek αὐστηρός →Every word from Latin austerus →
austere — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer