austere

adjective4

1. •
   Grim or severe in manner or appearance.

   • The headmistress was an austere old woman.
2. •
   Lacking decoration; trivial; not extravagant or gaudy.

   • The interior of the church was as austere as the parishioners were dour.
3. •
   Adhering to the economic policy of austerity.

   • Counterintuitively, in an effort to be austere and save money, cities which only remove a crossing every couple of years manage to be way less efficient at it than Melbourne has been. — 2024
4. •
   Harsh; astringent.

   • It is like a small plum, nearly globular in shape, black covered with a bluish bloom, and with a very austere taste. — 1862