Acridity

sharp or biting to the taste or smell; bitterly pungent; irritating to the eyes, nose, etc.:
acrid smoke from burning rubber.
extremely or sharply stinging or bitter; exceedingly caustic:
acrid remarks.
Historical Examples

Notwithstanding its acridity, a wholesome starch is prepared from the stem.
Catalogue of Economic Plants in the Collection of the U. S. Department of Agriculture William Saunders

Then, turning to Magnus, excused himself for the acridity of his words.
The Octopus Frank Norris

They are acrid, but lose their acridity when boiled, the water being changed.
Catalogue of Economic Plants in the Collection of the U. S. Department of Agriculture William Saunders

Besides, the German wines in themselves have other qualities than that of acridity.
The Parisians, Complete Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Tom had a nagging air, and a trifle of acridity on his broad features.
Evan Harrington, Complete George Meredith

It seemed attracted by the acridity of the beautiful insect, as the moth is by the flame.
The Insect Jules Michelet

Mr. Strachey, without abandoning the acridity of his style, exposes Florence Nightingale as a great constructor of civilization.
Instigations Ezra Pound

The word came very hard, but in his acridity he felt like not sparing himself; he wanted to get accustomed to the full obloquy.
Thoroughbreds W. A. Fraser

The filtered ether was clear, entirely free from raphides, and had also lost every trace of its acridity.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 829, November 21, 1891 Various

Heating and drying the bulbs dissipates the volatiles principle, and the acridity is destroyed.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 829, November 21, 1891 Various

adjective
unpleasantly pungent or sharp to the smell or taste
sharp or caustic, esp in speech or nature
adj.

1712, formed irregularly from Latin acer (fem. acris) “sharp, pungent, bitter, eager, fierce,” from PIE *akri- “sharp,” from root *ak- “be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce” (cf. Oscan akrid (ablative singular) “sharply;” Greek akis “sharp point,” akros “at the farthest point, highest, outermost,” akantha “thorn,” akme “summit, edge;” also oxys “sharp, bitter;” Sanskrit acri- “corner, edge,” acani- “point of an arrow,” asrih “edge;” Lithuanian ašmuo “sharpness,” akstis “sharp stick;” Old Lithuanian aštras, Lithuanian aštrus “sharp;” Old Church Slavonic ostru, Russian óstryj “sharp;” Old Irish er “high;” Welsh ochr “edge, corner, border;” Old Norse eggja “goad;” Old English ecg “sword”). The -id suffix probably is in imitation of acid. Acrious (1670s) is a correct formation, but seldom seen.

acrid ac·rid (āk’rĭd)
adj.
Unpleasantly sharp, pungent, or bitter to the taste or smell.
a·crid’i·ty (ə-krĭd’ĭ-tē) or ac’rid·ness n.