a·cute / əˈkyoōt/ • adj. 1. (of a bad, difficult, or unwelcome situation or phenomenon) present or experienced to a severe or intense degree: an acute housing shortage. ∎  (of a disease or its symptoms) of short duration but typically severe: acute appendicitis. ∎  denoting or designed for patients with such conditions: acute hospital services.2. having or showing a perceptive understanding or insight: shrewd: an acute awareness of changing fashions. ∎  (of a physical sense or faculty) highly developed; keen: an acute sense of smell. 3. (of an angle) less than 90°. ∎  having a sharp end; pointed. ∎  (of a sound) high; shrill.• n. short for acute accent.DERIVATIVES: a·cute·ly adv.a·cute·ness n.

acute (ă-kewt) adj.
1. describing a disease of rapid onset, severe symptoms, and brief duration. Compare chronic.

2. describing any intense symptom, such as severe pain.

acute XIV. — L. acūtus, pp. of acuere sharpen (cf. ACID); as applied to accent tr. Gr. oxeîa, fem. (sc. prosōidíā accent) of oxús sharp.

acute (of disease) Applied to a disease that develops rapidly and is of short duration; symptoms tend to be severe.

acute (of disease) Applied to a disease that develops rapidly and is of short duration; symptoms tend to be severe.