austère
austere, stern
adjective oh-STEHR Rare
Origin: Greek austeros (harsh, bitter)
Also means
plain, unadorned
Usage Note
Austère is invariable in gender (same form masculine and feminine). It describes both people (severe in manner) and things (plain or ascetic in style). In economic contexts, mesures austères or politique d'austérité refer to austerity measures. The related noun is austérité (f).
Examples
"La façade de l'église est sobre et austère."
Natural Translation
The church facade is plain and austere.
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