bitterness

[bit-er-nis]

noun

1. a harsh, acrid taste that is one of the four basic taste sensations; a taste that is not sour, sweet, or salty.

   The beer’s initial flavor profile is a faint bitterness, with a lingering, slightly cloying sweetness.

2. a feeling of pain or distress.

   The bitter herbs at a Passover Seder are meant to remind us of the bitterness of slavery.

3. a feeling of antagonism, hostility, or resentfulness.

   There was no shortage of people expressing frustration and bitterness about the slow pace of the relief efforts.

Other Word Forms

• overbitterness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bitterness¹

bitter ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Related Words

• anguish 
• hostility 
• pain 
• sarcasm