exacerbo

Exacerbo is a Latin verb of the first conjugation, with the infinitive exacerbāre and the present active indicative form exacerbō. It generally means to irritate, provoke, embitter, or to make something worse. In classical and late Latin, the term can describe actions that increase tension, worsen a mood or dispute, or intensify a condition or effect.

Etymology and sense. The word is built from the prefix ex- meaning thoroughly or out, and acerbus meaning bitter or harsh. This combination yields the sense of making something harsh or difficult to endure. The Latin verb forms the basis for the English verb exacerbāre and its derivatives.

Morphology and examples. As a regular first-conjugation verb, exemplars include:

- Present: exacerbō, exacerbās, exacerbat, exacerbāmus, exacerbātis, exacerbant

- Perfect: exacerbāvī, exacerbāvit, exacerbāvimus, exacerbāvistis, exacerbāvērunt

- Imperfect: exacerbābam, exacerbābās, exacerbābat, exacerbābāmus, exacerbābātis, exacerbābant

The infinitive used in phrases is exacerbāre, and the supine or perfect passive participle is exacerbārum (in compounds). A typical Latin construction might convey “exacerbat morbum,” meaning “it worsens the disease,” illustrating the sense of intensifying a condition.

Relation to English. The verb is the direct Latin source of the English exacerbate and its noun exacerbation, which retain the core sense of making something worse or more severe. In English, exacerbate is widely used in medical, social, and political contexts to describe the worsening of problems or conflicts.

See also. Exacerbation; Exacerbate; Latin verbs and conjugation.