bitter

UK /ˈbɪt.ə/ · US /ˈbɪ.tɚ/

Etymology From Middle English bitter, bittre, from Old English bitter, biter (“bitter”), from Proto-West Germanic *bitr, from Proto-Germanic *bitraz (“bitter”), equivalent to bite + -er (agent noun suffix) used attributively. Cognate with Saterland Frisian, West Frisian, Low German, Danish, Dutch, German, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish bitter, Icelandic bitur (all meaning “bitter”).

Synonyms

acrid, caustic, jaded, acerb, acerbic, bitter, bittersome, sharp

Antonyms

optimistic, sweet

Derived terms

105 terms

bitter African daisy, bitter albizia, bitter almond, bitter aloes, bitter apple, bitter bark, bitter bean, bitter bolete, bitter bossie, bitter bracket, bitterbrush, bitter buchu, [pl=s, bitterbush, bitter cherry(Please check if this is already defined at target. Replace with a regular link if already defined. Add novern=1 if not defined.), bitter chocolate, bitter coco, bitter cold, bitter cornsalad, bittercress, bitter-cress, bitter cryptandra, bitter cucumber, bitter dock, bitter dogbane, bitter drumstick tree, bitter fleabane, bitter forest grape, bitterful, bitter funnel, bitter ganna, bitter gooseberry, bitter gourd, bitter grape, bitter herbs, bitter hickory, bitter hymenoxys, bitterish, bitter kambro, bitter karoo, bitter karree, bitter-leaf, bitter leaf, bitterless, bitter lettuce, bitterling, bitterly, bittermelon, bitter melon, bitter milkwort, bitter myrobalan, bitterness, bitter nightshade), bitternut, bitter nutmeg, bitter orange, bitterorange, bitter oysterling, bitter panicgrass, bitter paramosage, bitter pea, bitter pecan, bitter pill, bitter pill to swallow, bitter pit, bitter poisonpie, bitter quandong, bitter ragwort, bitterroot, bitter rot, bitter scalewort, bittersharp, bitter snakewood, bitter sneezeweed, bittersome, bitter sorrel, bitter sow-thistle, bitter spar, bitter squash, bittersweet, bitter-sweet, bitter tea, bitter thistle, bitter tomato, bitter vetch, bitter vine, bitter waxcap, bitter webcap, bitterweed, bitter willow(Please check if this is already defined at target. Replace with a regular link if already defined. Add novern=1 if not defined.), bitter wintercress, bitterwood, bitterwort, debitter, debitterize, embitter, Great Bitter Lake, imbitter, mild and bitter, nonbitter, overbitter, sugarcoat a bitter pill, swallow a bitter pill, take the bitter with the sweet, unbitter

Related terms

bitter end, bitterness

Hypernyms

gustable

Hyponyms

coffeelike, hoppy, quiniferous, bitterish