stern — serious, demanding, or forbidding in manner, attitude, or expression
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: serious, demanding, or forbidding in manner, attitude, or expression
Pronunciation (IPA): /stɜːrn/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother's stern face could make cookies taste less sweet.
- The judge delivered a stern verdict to the criminal.
- The fish jumped from the stern of the boat as if trying to escape the captain's stern cooking.
stern
ADJECTIVE[/stɜːrn/]
serious, demanding, or forbidding in manner, attitude, or expression
The stern captain glared at the trembling cadet who dropped the rifle.
Stern captain stirs at the stern with serious manner
Even the stern teacher's heart will turn when students truly learn!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old English stearn meaning 'severe' or 'hard', which comes from Germanic roots relating to stiffness and rigidity. The nautical meaning (back of a ship) developed because this part was built to be especially sturdy and rigid.
Breakdown
stern (Germanic root meaning 'stiff/hard/severe') - no prefix or suffix, just the core word that branched into two main meanings
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother's stern face could make cookies taste less sweet.”
“The judge delivered a stern verdict to the criminal.”
“The fish jumped from the stern of the boat as if trying to escape the captain's stern cooking.”
“She gave him a stern reminder about the deadline.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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