- present participle of bite.
adjective
-
piercing; keen
a biting wind
-
sarcastic; incisive
a biting comment
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of biting
First recorded in 1250–1300, biting is from the Middle English word bitynge. See bite, -ing 2
Explanation
Anything biting is sharp and painful, like the biting wind off that rolls off a frozen lake on a blustery day. A biting dog has the tendency, literally, to bite with its sharp teeth. A more common, figurative way to use this adjective is to mean either "painfully cold" or "cruel." So there's the biting cold of January in Minnesota, but there's also the biting remark of someone whose words are just as agonizing.
Vocabulary lists containing biting
Chill Out! Synonyms for "Cold"
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List 3
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Cold
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At a May 28 rally in Missoula with Ocasio-Cortez, Forstag took the stage to “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, and his words made good on the song’s biting lyrics about the haves and have-nots.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
Micron’s decisions in 2024 are biting memory customers in 2026 and 2027.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
The Texas Animal Health Commission also asks that cattlemen closely monitor wounds, reduce biting pests like flies and ticks whenever possible, and abide by infestation quarantines drawn by state authorities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
He also urged people not to try and capture snapping turtles themselves, saying they would likely try to defend themselves by biting.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
And just before she exits, Aunt J places a hand on Dad’s shoulder and says in a biting tone, “Good night, Earl Jr.”
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
