asperity

/əˈspɛrəti/
noun
  1. Harshness or roughness of tone, manner, or temper.
    • The manager's asperity during the meeting made everyone uncomfortable.
    • Despite the asperity in his voice, he was actually trying to help.
    • She replied with unexpected asperity, surprising her usually calm friend.
  2. Roughness or unevenness of a surface.
    • The asperity of the old stone wall made it difficult to climb.
    • The sandpaper reduced the asperity of the wooden plank.
    • Geologists measure the asperity of rock surfaces to understand erosion patterns.
  3. Severity or harshness of weather or conditions.
    • The asperity of the winter storm forced the school to close.
    • The asperity of life in the early frontier tested everyone's endurance.
    • Hikers prepared for the asperity of the desert climate.
What does "asperity" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean