The English word “brusque” is used to describe someone who is abrupt or even rude. But if you trace the word back to its French and Italian origins, it has different meanings. In French, it has the same spelling, but “brusque” describes someone who is lively and fierce, not rude. In Italian, the word “brusco” does have a meaning of “rude” or “sharp,” but its initial usage was “sour,” as in flavor. In English, the first usage of “brusque” was to describe a tart flavor in wine. While it’s now more commonly used to describe tartness in behavior, it’s still sometimes used in wine reviews.