The meaning of BITTER is being, inducing, or marked by the one of the five basic taste sensations that is peculiarly acrid, astringent, and often disagreeable and characteristic of citrus peels, unsweetened cocoa, black coffee, mature leafy greens (such as kale or mustard), or ale. Bitter means "having a sharp or harsh flavor." Bitter describes a particular pungent taste, like the sharpness of very dark chocolate (which is sometimes called bittersweet for its mixture of the two flavors). having a harsh, disagreeably acrid taste, like that of aspirin, quinine, wormwood, or aloes.

Understanding the Context

not sour, sweet, or salt. distressful: a bitter sorrow. stinging: a bitter chill. characterized by intense antagonism or hostility: bitter hatred.

Key Insights

hard to admit or accept: a bitter lesson. resentful or cynical: bitter words. n. Bitter definition: Having or being a taste that is sharp, acrid, and unpleasant. BITTER definition: 1.

Final Thoughts

Someone who is bitter is angry and unhappy because they cannot forget bad things that happened…. Learn more. 1. having a harsh, acrid taste. 2. producing one of the four basic taste sensations; not sour, sweet, or salt.

Definition of bitter adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. A bitter experience makes you feel very disappointed. You can also use bitter to emphasize feelings of disappointment.