bitter
English
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈbɪtə(ɹ)/, [ˈbɪtʰə], (colloquially also) [ˈbɪʔə]
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈbɪtɚ/, [ˈbɪɾɚ]
- Hyphenation: bit‧ter
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɪtə(ɹ)
- Homophone: bidder (in some dialects)
Etymology 1
From Middle English bitter, bittre, from Old English bitter, biter (“bitter”), from Proto-West Germanic *bit(t)r, from Proto-Germanic *bitraz (“bitter”), equivalent to bite + -er (agent noun suffix) used attributively. Compare Saterland Frisian bitter (“bitter”), West Frisian bitter (“bitter”), Dutch bitter (“bitter”), Low German bitter (“bitter”), German bitter (“bitter”), Swedish bitter (“bitter”), Icelandic bitur (“bitter”).
Adjective
bitter (comparative bitterer or more bitter, superlative bitterest or most bitter)
- Having an acrid taste (usually from a basic substance).
- The coffee tasted bitter.
- 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter III, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 24962326:
- Long after his cigar burnt bitter, he sat with eyes fixed on the blaze. When the flames at last began to flicker and subside, his lids fluttered, then drooped; but he had lost all reckoning of time when he opened them again to find Miss Erroll in furs and ball-gown kneeling on the hearth […].
- 2018 May 16, Adam Rogers, Wired, "The Fundamental Nihilism of Yanny vs. Laurel":
- A few types of molecules get sensed by receptors on the tongue. Protons coming off of acids ping receptors for "sour." Sugars get received as "sweet." Bitter, salty, and the proteinaceous flavor umami all set off their own neural cascades.
- Harsh, piercing or stinging.
- 1999, Neil Gaiman, Stardust, p.31 (Perennial paperback edition)
- It was at the end of February, […] when the world was cold, and a bitter wind howled down the moors […].
- 1999, Neil Gaiman, Stardust, p.31 (Perennial paperback edition)
- Hateful or hostile.
- They're bitter enemies.
- 2022 October 1, Phil McNulty, “Arsenal 3-1 Tottenham: Gunners show identity & direction in outstanding derby win”, in BBC Sport:
- Tottenham have not won in the Premier League at Emirates Stadium for 12 years, with Arsenal losing just one of their last 29 home league games against their bitter rivals.
- 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], OCLC 928184292:
- He inveighed against the folly of making oneself liable for the debts of others; vented many bitter execrations against the brother; and concluded with wishing something could be done for the unfortunate family.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981, Colossians 3:19:
- Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
- Cynical and resentful.
- I've been bitter ever since that defeat.
Usage notes
- The one-word comparative form bitterer and superlative form bitterest exist, but are less common than their two-word counterparts more bitter and most bitter.
Synonyms
- (cynical and resentful): jaded
Antonyms
- (cynical and resentful): optimistic
Derived terms
- bitter almond
- bitter apple
- bitter bark
- bitter bolete
- bitter cold
- bitter-cress
- bitter cucumber
- bitter gourd
- bitter herbs
- bitterly
- bitter melon
- bitter orange
- bitter panicgrass
- bitter pill
- bitter pill to swallow
- bitter pit
- bitter rot
- bittersome
- bitter spar
- bitter-sweet
- bitter vetch
- mild and bitter
- sugarcoat a bitter pill
- swallow a bitter pill
- take the bitter with the sweet
Descendants
- Sranan Tongo: bita
Translations
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
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See also
- bitter end
Noun
bitter (countable and uncountable, plural bitters)
- (usually in the plural bitters) A liquid or powder, made from bitter herbs, used in mixed drinks or as a tonic.
- 1773, Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer
- Thus I begin: "All is not gold that glitters,
- "Pleasure seems sweet, but proves a glass of bitters.
- 1773, Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer
- A type of beer heavily flavored with hops.
- (nautical) A turn of a cable about the bitts.
Synonyms
- (beer): English pale ale, EPA
Derived terms
- best bitter
- brought up to a bitter
- Mishmi bitter
- session bitter
Translations
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
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Verb
bitter (third-person singular simple present bitters, present participle bittering, simple past and past participle bittered)
- To make bitter.
- 1766, John Wilkinson, Tutamen Nauticum:
- bittered with the hop
-
Etymology 2
bit + -er
Noun
bitter (plural bitters)
- (computing, informal, in combination) A hardware system whose architecture is based around units of the specified number of bits (binary digits).
- 1983, Computerworld (volume 17, number 49, page 21)
- However, 16-bitters are far more expensive than the 8-bit variety. And, unfortunately, have only a handful of business applications software packages that really take advantage of them.
- 1984, Electronic Business (volume 10, page 154)
- The company believes that the 32-bit market will almost equal that of 16-bitters by the end of the decade. Chip maker Zilog Inc., not a major player in the 16-bit arena, is even more bullish about 32-bitters as it readies its own version for market.
- 1983, Computerworld (volume 17, number 49, page 21)
Danish
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Middle Low German bitter.
Adjective
bitter
- bitter (all meanings)
Inflection
Inflection of bitter | |||
---|---|---|---|
Positive | Comparative | Superlative | |
Common singular | bitter | bitrere | bitrest2 |
Neuter singular | bittert | bitrere | bitrest2 |
Plural | bitre | bitrere | bitrest2 |
Definite attributive1 | bitre | bitrere | bitreste |
1) When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite, the corresponding "indefinite" form is used. 2) The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively. |
Related terms
- bitterhed
- forbitret
Noun
bitter c (singular definite bitteren, plural indefinite bittere)
- bitter (the liquid used in drinks)
- A bitter form of an aquavit
Inflection
common gender | Singular | Plural | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
nominative | bitter | bitteren | bittere | bitterne |
genitive | bitters | bitterens | bitteres | bitternes |
Etymology 2
Borrowed from English bitter.
Noun
bitter c
- bitter (type of beer - only known generally in Denmark for a few years)
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch bitter, from Old Dutch bitter, from Proto-West Germanic *bit(t)r, from Proto-Germanic *bitraz.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbɪtər/
audio (file) - Hyphenation: bit‧ter
- Rhymes: -ɪtər
Adjective
bitter (comparative bitterder, superlative bitterst)
- bitter (having an acrid taste)
- bitter, embittered
Inflection
Inflection of bitter | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
uninflected | bitter | |||
inflected | bittere | |||
comparative | bitterder | |||
positive | comparative | superlative | ||
predicative/adverbial | bitter | bitterder | het bitterst het bitterste | |
indefinite | m./f. sing. | bittere | bitterdere | bitterste |
n. sing. | bitter | bitterder | bitterste | |
plural | bittere | bitterdere | bitterste | |
definite | bittere | bitterdere | bitterste | |
partitive | bitters | bitterders | — |
Derived terms
- verbitteren
Related terms
- verbitterd
Descendants
- Afrikaans: bitter
- Negerhollands: bitter, better, bitu
- → Caribbean Hindustani: bitá
- → Saramaccan: bíta
- → Sranan Tongo: bita
See also
- (tastes) smaak; bitter, zoet, zout, zuur (Category: nl:Taste)
Noun
bitter m or n (plural bitters, diminutive bittertje n)
- A type of strong spirits made by steeping (often bitter) herbs in brandy or jenever, traditionally considered a digestive drink.
- Zonder zijn gebruikelijke bittertje om vier uur voelde Opa zich niet lekker. ― Without his regular shot of bitter at four o'clock, Grandpa wouldn't feel well.
Usage notes
When used in a countable sense (a serving of bitter), the diminutive is the usual form.
Synonyms
- kruidenbitter
Derived terms
- bitterbal
- oranjebitter
- kruidenbitter
Descendants
- Afrikaans: bitter
- → Caribbean Hindustani: bitá
- → Catalan: bíter
- → Papiamentu: beter, bitter
- → Saramaccan: bíta
- → Sranan Tongo: bita
Further reading
- The article Bitters on Wikipedia
Finnish
Etymology
From English bitter.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbiter/, [ˈbit̪e̞r]
- IPA(key): /ˈbitːer/, [ˈbit̪ːe̞r]
- Rhymes: -itːer
- Syllabification(key): bit‧ter
Noun
bitter
- bitter (type of beer)
Declension
Inflection of bitter (Kotus type 6/paperi, no gradation) | |||
---|---|---|---|
nominative | bitter | bitterit | |
genitive | bitterin | bitterien bittereiden bittereitten | |
partitive | bitteriä | bittereitä bitterejä | |
illative | bitteriin | bittereihin | |
singular | plural | ||
nominative | bitter | bitterit | |
accusative | nom. | bitter | bitterit |
gen. | bitterin | ||
genitive | bitterin | bitterien bittereiden bittereitten | |
partitive | bitteriä | bittereitä bitterejä | |
inessive | bitterissä | bittereissä | |
elative | bitteristä | bittereistä | |
illative | bitteriin | bittereihin | |
adessive | bitterillä | bittereillä | |
ablative | bitteriltä | bittereiltä | |
allative | bitterille | bittereille | |
essive | bitterinä | bittereinä | |
translative | bitteriksi | bittereiksi | |
instructive | — | bitterein | |
abessive | bitterittä | bittereittä | |
comitative | — | bittereineen |
Possessive forms of bitter (type paperi) | ||
---|---|---|
possessor | singular | plural |
1st person | bitterini | bitterimme |
2nd person | bitterisi | bitterinne |
3rd person | bitterinsä |
French
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /bi.te/
Audio (Paris) (file) Audio (file)
Verb
bitter
- (transitive, slang) to understand, usually used in negative form and especially with rien
- Synonym: comprendre
- J’ai rien bitté au cours.
- I got nothing of the class
Conjugation
infinitive | simple | bitter | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
compound | avoir + past participle | ||||||
present participle or gerund1 | simple | bittant /bi.tɑ̃/ | |||||
compound | ayant + past participle | ||||||
past participle | bitté /bi.te/ | ||||||
singular | plural | ||||||
first | second | third | first | second | third | ||
indicative | je (j’) | tu | il, elle, on | nous | vous | ils, elles | |
(simple tenses) | present | bitte /bit/ | bittes /bit/ | bitte /bit/ | bittons /bi.tɔ̃/ | bittez /bi.te/ | bittent /bit/ |
imperfect | bittais /bi.tɛ/ | bittais /bi.tɛ/ | bittait /bi.tɛ/ | bittions /bi.tjɔ̃/ | bittiez /bi.tje/ | bittaient /bi.tɛ/ | |
past historic2 | bittai /bi.te/ | bittas /bi.ta/ | bitta /bi.ta/ | bittâmes /bi.tam/ | bittâtes /bi.tat/ | bittèrent /bi.tɛʁ/ | |
future | bitterai /bi.tʁe/ | bitteras /bi.tʁa/ | bittera /bi.tʁa/ | bitterons /bi.tʁɔ̃/ | bitterez /bi.tʁe/ | bitteront /bi.tʁɔ̃/ | |
conditional | bitterais /bi.tʁɛ/ | bitterais /bi.tʁɛ/ | bitterait /bi.tʁɛ/ | bitterions /bi.tə.ʁjɔ̃/ | bitteriez /bi.tə.ʁje/ | bitteraient /bi.tʁɛ/ | |
(compound tenses) | present perfect | present indicative of avoir + past participle | |||||
pluperfect | imperfect indicative of avoir + past participle | ||||||
past anterior2 | past historic of avoir + past participle | ||||||
future perfect | future of avoir + past participle | ||||||
conditional perfect | conditional of avoir + past participle | ||||||
subjunctive | que je (j’) | que tu | qu’il, qu’elle | que nous | que vous | qu’ils, qu’elles | |
(simple tenses) | present | bitte /bit/ | bittes /bit/ | bitte /bit/ | bittions /bi.tjɔ̃/ | bittiez /bi.tje/ | bittent /bit/ |
imperfect2 | bittasse /bi.tas/ | bittasses /bi.tas/ | bittât /bi.ta/ | bittassions /bi.ta.sjɔ̃/ | bittassiez /bi.ta.sje/ | bittassent /bi.tas/ | |
(compound tenses) | past | present subjunctive of avoir + past participle | |||||
pluperfect2 | imperfect subjunctive of avoir + past participle | ||||||
imperative | – | – | – | ||||
simple | — | bitte /bit/ | — | bittons /bi.tɔ̃/ | bittez /bi.te/ | — | |
compound | — | simple imperative of avoir + past participle | — | simple imperative of avoir + past participle | simple imperative of avoir + past participle | — | |
1 The French gerund is usable only with the preposition en. | |||||||
2 In less formal writing or speech, these tenses may be found to have been replaced in the following way:
(Christopher Kendris [1995], Master the Basics: French, pp. 77, 78, 79, 81). |
Further reading
- “bitter”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
German
Etymology
From Middle High German bitter, pitter, from Old High German bittar, from Proto-West Germanic *bit(t)r, from Proto-Germanic *bitraz. Compare Low German bitter, Dutch bitter, English bitter, Swedish bitter, Icelandic bitur.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbɪ.tɐ/
Audio (file)
Adjective
bitter (strong nominative masculine singular bitterer, comparative bitterer, superlative am bittersten)
- bitter
Declension
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist bitter | sie ist bitter | es ist bitter | sie sind bitter | |
strong declension (without article) | nominative | bitterer | bittere | bitteres | bittere |
genitive | bitteren | bitterer | bitteren | bitterer | |
dative | bitterem | bitterer | bitterem | bitteren | |
accusative | bitteren | bittere | bitteres | bittere | |
weak declension (with definite article) | nominative | der bittere | die bittere | das bittere | die bitteren |
genitive | des bitteren | der bitteren | des bitteren | der bitteren | |
dative | dem bitteren | der bitteren | dem bitteren | den bitteren | |
accusative | den bitteren | die bittere | das bittere | die bitteren | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) | nominative | ein bitterer | eine bittere | ein bitteres | (keine) bitteren |
genitive | eines bitteren | einer bitteren | eines bitteren | (keiner) bitteren | |
dative | einem bitteren | einer bitteren | einem bitteren | (keinen) bitteren | |
accusative | einen bitteren | eine bittere | ein bitteres | (keine) bitteren |
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist bitterer | sie ist bitterer | es ist bitterer | sie sind bitterer | |
strong declension (without article) | nominative | bittererer | bitterere | bittereres | bitterere |
genitive | bittereren | bittererer | bittereren | bittererer | |
dative | bittererem | bittererer | bittererem | bittereren | |
accusative | bittereren | bitterere | bittereres | bitterere | |
weak declension (with definite article) | nominative | der bitterere | die bitterere | das bitterere | die bittereren |
genitive | des bittereren | der bittereren | des bittereren | der bittereren | |
dative | dem bittereren | der bittereren | dem bittereren | den bittereren | |
accusative | den bittereren | die bitterere | das bitterere | die bittereren | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) | nominative | ein bittererer | eine bitterere | ein bittereres | (keine) bittereren |
genitive | eines bittereren | einer bittereren | eines bittereren | (keiner) bittereren | |
dative | einem bittereren | einer bittereren | einem bittereren | (keinen) bittereren | |
accusative | einen bittereren | eine bitterere | ein bittereres | (keine) bittereren |
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist am bittersten | sie ist am bittersten | es ist am bittersten | sie sind am bittersten | |
strong declension (without article) | nominative | bitterster | bitterste | bitterstes | bitterste |
genitive | bittersten | bitterster | bittersten | bitterster | |
dative | bitterstem | bitterster | bitterstem | bittersten | |
accusative | bittersten | bitterste | bitterstes | bitterste | |
weak declension (with definite article) | nominative | der bitterste | die bitterste | das bitterste | die bittersten |
genitive | des bittersten | der bittersten | des bittersten | der bittersten | |
dative | dem bittersten | der bittersten | dem bittersten | den bittersten | |
accusative | den bittersten | die bitterste | das bitterste | die bittersten | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) | nominative | ein bitterster | eine bitterste | ein bitterstes | (keine) bittersten |
genitive | eines bittersten | einer bittersten | eines bittersten | (keiner) bittersten | |
dative | einem bittersten | einer bittersten | einem bittersten | (keinen) bittersten | |
accusative | einen bittersten | eine bitterste | ein bitterstes | (keine) bittersten |
Coordinate terms
- (tastes) Geschmack; bitter, salzig, sauer, süß (Category: de:Taste)
Derived terms
- bitterkalt
- bittersüß
- Bitterkeit
- verbittern
Adverb
bitter
- bitterly
- Synonym: verbittert
Further reading
- “bitter” in Duden online
- “bitter” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “bitter” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.
Italian
Etymology
Pseudo-anglicism, a clipping of English bitters.
Noun
bitter m (invariable)
- bitters
Middle Dutch
Etymology
From Old Dutch bitter, from Proto-West Germanic *bit(t)r, from Proto-Germanic *bitraz.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbɪtːər/
Adjective
bitter
- bitter (taste)
- sad, painful
Inflection
This adjective needs an inflection-table template.
Descendants
- Dutch: bitter
- Limburgish: bitter
Further reading
- “bitter”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
- Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “bitter”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
From Middle Low German bitter and Old Norse bitr.
Adjective
bitter (neuter singular bittert, definite singular and plural bitre, comparative bitrere, indefinite superlative bitrest, definite superlative bitreste)
- bitter
Derived terms
- bitterhet
References
- “bitter” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
Etymology
From Middle Low German bitter and Old Norse bitr.
Adjective
bitter (neuter singular bittert, definite singular and plural bitre, comparative bitrare, indefinite superlative bitrast, definite superlative bitraste)
- bitter
References
- “bitter” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Old English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbit.ter/
Adjective
bitter
- Alternative form of biter
Declension
Singular | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
---|---|---|---|
Nominative | bitter | bitteru, bitru, bittero, bitro | bitter |
Accusative | bitterne | bittere, bitre | bitter |
Genitive | bitteres, bitres | bitterre | bitteres, bitres |
Dative | bitterum, bitrum | bitterre | bitterum, bitrum |
Instrumental | bittere, bitre | bitterre | bittere, bitre |
Plural | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
Nominative | bittere, bitre | bittera, bitra, bittere, bitre | bitteru, bitru, bittero, bitro |
Accusative | bittere, bitre | bittera, bitra, bittere, bitre | bitteru, bitru, bittero, bitro |
Genitive | bitterra | bitterra | bitterra |
Dative | bitterum, bitrum | bitterum, bitrum | bitterum, bitrum |
Instrumental | bitterum, bitrum | bitterum, bitrum | bitterum, bitrum |
Singular | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
---|---|---|---|
Nominative | bittera, bitra | bittere, bitre | bittere, bitre |
Accusative | bitteran, bitran | bitteran, bitran | bittere, bitre |
Genitive | bitteran, bitran | bitteran, bitran | bitteran, bitran |
Dative | bitteran, bitran | bitteran, bitran | bitteran, bitran |
Instrumental | bitteran, bitran | bitteran, bitran | bitteran, bitran |
Plural | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
Nominative | bitteran, bitran | bitteran, bitran | bitteran, bitran |
Accusative | bitteran, bitran | bitteran, bitran | bitteran, bitran |
Genitive | bitterra, bitterena, bitrena | bitterra, bitterena, bitrena | bitterra, bitterena, bitrena |
Dative | bitterum, bitrum | bitterum, bitrum | bitterum, bitrum |
Instrumental | bitterum, bitrum | bitterum, bitrum | bitterum, bitrum |
Old High German
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbit.ter/
Adjective
bitter
- Alternative form of bittar
References
- Joseph Wright, An Old High German Primer
Swedish
Etymology
From Old Norse bitr (partly through the influence of Middle Low German bitter), from Proto-Germanic *bitraz.
Pronunciation
audio (file)
Adjective
bitter (comparative bittrare, superlative bittrast)
- bitter; having an acrid taste
- bitter; hateful
- bitter; resentful
Declension
Inflection of bitter | |||
---|---|---|---|
Indefinite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative2 |
Common singular | bitter | bittrare | bittrast |
Neuter singular | bittert | bittrare | bittrast |
Plural | bittra | bittrare | bittrast |
Masculine plural3 | bittre | bittrare | bittrast |
Definite | Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
Masculine singular1 | bittre | bittrare | bittraste |
All | bittra | bittrare | bittraste |
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic |
Further reading
- bitter in Svensk ordbok.
Anagrams
- bittre