acrid

/ˈa-krəd/

Latin ācr-, ācer "sharp, pungent, biting" + the English formative -id (as in ); replacing acrious, from Latin ācer + -ious

adjective

  1. sharp and harsh or unpleasantly pungent in taste or odor : irritating

  2. deeply or violently bitter : acrimonious

acrid smoke

caustic mordant acrid scathing mean stingingly incisive. caustic suggests a biting wit. mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness.