TOP

Definition of austerity noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

austerity

noun
 
/ɒˈsterəti/,
 
/ɔːˈsterəti/
 
/ɔːˈsterəti/
(plural austerities)
jump to other results
  1. [uncountable] difficult economic conditions created by government policies aimed at cutting public spending
    • War was followed by many years of austerity.
    • austerity measures and economic reforms
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • post-war
    • wartime
    • economic
    • …
    austerity + noun
    • measures
    • plan
    • policies
    • …
    See full entry
  2. [uncountable] the quality of being simple and plain in appearance
    • the pleasing austerity of the design
  3. [uncountable] the quality of being strict and serious in appearance or manner
    • He was noted for his austerity and authoritarianism.
  4. [uncountable] the fact of allowing no pleasures and little to make life comfortable
    • the austerity of the monks’ life
  5. [countable, usually plural] something that is part of a way of life that allows no pleasures and little to make life comfortable
    • the austerities of wartime Europe
    6. Word Originlate Middle English: from French austérité, from Latin austeritas, from austerus, from Greek austēros ‘severe’.
See austerity in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: austerity

Nearby words

pepper
noun
 
 
From the Word list
Oxford 3000
A1
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day