acrimonious
- Bitter and sharp in manner or speech, especially in a dispute or disagreement.
In a sentence
- The divorce proceedings were acrimonious, with both parties trading accusations in court.
- What began as a polite debate quickly turned acrimonious when personal insults were introduced.
Usage note. Commonly collocates with 'dispute', 'split', 'divorce', and 'debate'; it emphasizes the emotional bitterness of an argument rather than just its intensity.
Where it comes from
English acrimonious · entered English 17th c.
From Latin 'acrimonia' (sharpness, pungency), derived from 'acer' (sharp, keen). It passed through French before entering English in the 17th century, originally used literally of sharp tastes before becoming figurative.