1865, originally, and usually, figurative: "sour, harsh, severe" (of speech, manners, etc.), from Latin acerbus "harsh to the taste, sharp, bitter, sour," especially of unripe fruits, etc., also figuratively, of character, conduct, etc. (see acerbity) + -ic. The earlier adjective was simply acerb (1650s), from French acerbe, from Latin acerbus.

"containing a large amount of the acid element," 1877, originally in geology; see acid (n.) + -ic. The geological use was chemical, in reference to the acid element (silicon, etc.) in certain salts, and was opposed to basic.

"of or pertaining to an acrobat or an acrobat's performances," 1848; see acrobat + -ic, probably modeled on French acrobatique. Related: Acrobatically.

1843, "of or containing acryl," the name of a radical derived from acrolein (1843), the name of a liquid in onions and garlic that makes eyes tear, from Latin acer "sharp" (from PIE root *ak- "be sharp, rise (out) to a point, pierce") + olere "to smell" (see odor) + -in (see -ine (2)). With adjectival suffix -ic. Modern senses often short for acrylic fiber, acrylic resin, etc.

"without transference, impossible (to heat)," 1838, with -ic + Greek adiabatos "not to be passed" (of rivers, etc.), from a- "not" (see a- (3)) + diabatos "to be crossed or passed, fordable," from dia "through" (see dia-) + batos "passable," from bainein "to go, walk, step" (from PIE root *gwa- "to go, come"). In thermodynamics, of a change in volume without change in heat.

1927, in the context of Soviet literary censorship; in reference to writing, "obscure or ambiguous, often allegorical, and disguising dissent;" from Aesop, the traditional father of the allegorical fable, + -ic. It translates Russian ezopovskii (1875), which arose there under the Tsars. In the empire the style was employed by Russian communists, who, once they took power, found themselves disguised in animal fables written by their own dissidents. In the sense "pertaining to the ancient Greek fable-writer Aesop," Aesopian is attested in English from 1875; it is recorded from 1950 in general reference to shrouding of real meaning to avoid censorship.

1790, "of or pertaining to alcohol;" see alcohol + -ic. The meaning "caused by drunkenness" is attested by 1872; the meaning "habitually drunk" by 1910. The noun sense of "one who is addicted to drinking in excess, chronic drunkard, old rounder" is recorded from 1891; an earlier term for one was alcoholist (1877 in clinical writing, earlier in temperance literature this word simply meant "a drinker of alcohol"). Alcoholics Anonymous was founded 1935 in Akron, Ohio, U.S.

"pertaining to algebra," 1660s, from algebra + -ic. Earlier was algebraical (1570s). Related: algebraically.

by 1799, "arithmetical," from algorithm + -ic. In reference to symbolic rules or language, by 1881.

"having an allergy (to something)," 1911, from allergy (q.v.) + -ic; perhaps modeled on French allergique (1906). The figurative use, "antipathetic, repulsed" is by 1936.