tetricity

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin tetricitas, taetricitas. By surface analysis, tetric + -ity.

noun

  1. The quality of being tetric: crabbedness, harshness, bitterness.“His Manner of Laughter is no way agreeable, opening his Mouth too wide: It even ſeems to indicate ſome Conſtraint and Pain: When he ſhuts his Mouth it gives a Tetricity to his Looks; his Noſe is all of a Piece; his Countenance wears a ſettled Gloomineſs; and his Forehead is of the uſual Size and Figure.”