bitters

[ bit-erz ]

/ ˈbɪt ərz /

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See synonyms for bitters on Thesaurus.com

noun (used with a plural verb)

a liquid, often an alcoholic liquor, in which bitter herbs or roots have steeped, used as a flavoring, especially in mixed drinks, or as a tonic.

Pharmacology.

a liquid, usually alcoholic, impregnated with a bitter medicine, as gentian or quassia, used to increase the appetite or as a tonic.
bitter medicinal substances in general, as quinine.

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Origin of bitters

First recorded in 1705–15; bitter + -s³

Words nearby bitters

bitter principle, bitterroot, Bitterroot Range, Bitterroot River, bitter rot, bitters, bittersweet, bitterweed, bitterwood, bitterwort, bitting

How to use bitters in a sentence

He dashes in a few drops of bitters, and then gently crushes the sugar with a muddler.
The Rise and Fall…and Rise Again of the Old-Fashioned|Allison McNearney|June 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Within its 1806 embodiment of the cocktail incarnate—spirit, sweetner, bitters, water—there is traditionalism,” Simonson writes.
The Rise and Fall…and Rise Again of the Old-Fashioned|Allison McNearney|June 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
"Almost all of the bitters, whiskeys, or absinthes you see in Buenos Aires are illegal," he says.
The Absinthe-Minded Porteños of Buenos Aires|Jeff Campagna|March 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He adds two dashes of Peychaud's bitters, one shot of Los Tigres de la Ira's Suisse verte, some lemon juice, and an egg white.
The Absinthe-Minded Porteños of Buenos Aires|Jeff Campagna|March 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He makes me a 20's Sazerac with Jack Daniels, Peychaud's Bitters, simple syrup, and local Tigre de la Ira absinthe.
The Secret Speakeasies of Buenos Aires|Jeff Campagna|February 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Call'd for half a Gill of bitters to qualify my humours; & a dish of Tea to cheer me, & soon to Bed.
Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian: A Plantation Tutor of the Old Dominion, 1773-1774.|Philip Vickers Fithian
Madeira and bitters were first offered, together with a well-spiced vegetable soup.
The Argus Pheasant|John Charles Beecham
"I ain't breakin' no law; this is yarb bitters," Jabe answered, with a pull at the bottle.
The Village Watch-Tower|(AKA Kate Douglas Riggs) Kate Douglas Wiggin
I shall only observe that no smells or tastes can produce a grand sensation, except excessive bitters, and intolerable stenches.
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. I. (of 12)|Edmund Burke
But a glass of bitters, followed by half a grapefruit and a large cup of coffee, made him more nearly his usual cheerful self.
Thirty|Howard Vincent O'Brien

British Dictionary definitions for bitters

bitters

/ (ˈbɪtəz) /

pl n

bitter-tasting spirits of varying alcoholic content flavoured with plant extracts

a similar liquid containing a bitter-tasting substance, used as a tonic to stimulate the appetite or improve digestion

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

bitters

Origin of bitters

Words nearby bitters

Words related to bitters

How to use bitters in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bitters