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asperity

as·per·i·ty [ a spérrətee ] (plural as·per·i·ties)


noun 
Definition:
 
1. harshness or severity: harshness or severity of manner or tone ( formal )

2. hardship: something that is hard to bear because of its harshness or severity ( formal )

3. roughness: the roughness of a surface ( literary )

4. physics area where surfaces touch: a region of contact between two load-bearing flat surfaces

[13th century. Via French aspérité< Latin asperitas< asper "rough"]
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