bittersweet en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- [ˈbɪɾɚˌswiʔt̚] (US)
- (US) audio
- /ˌbɪtɚˈswit/ (US)
- /ˈbɪtɚˌswit/ (US)
Etymology
From Middle English bitterswete, biterswete, equivalent to bitter + sweet. Cognate with Saterland Frisian bitterswäit (“bittersweet”), West Frisian bittersoet (“bittersweet”), Dutch bitterzoet (“bittersweet”), German bittersüß (“bittersweet”), Danish bittersød (“bittersweet”), Swedish bittersöt (“bittersweet”).
Meanings
-
Both bitter and sweet.
The dark green mooncake is loaded with matcha-infused salted egg yolk custard, which gives a bittersweet taste.
2016 August 21, Kenneth Goh, “Roll over, chocolate lava cakes — here come lava mooncakes”, in The Straits Times:bittersweet chocolate
-
(figuratively) Expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure.
The public has complicated feelings about our decision to end this trial before it ever began, and that’s OK. It’s bittersweet for us, too.
2023 April 21, John Poulos, “Dominion’s C.E.O.: Why We Settled the Lawsuit Against Fox News”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:Her eyes still shone upon the ground, and still she prolonged the bittersweet delight at seeing this humiliation of both soul and body by asking the one question whose reply would complete her sad success.
1863, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, Pauline's Passion and Punishment:The break-up was very bittersweet; they both hurt to end it, but were glad it was over.
He sat beside the busy street, There, where he last had seen her face: And thronging memories, bitter-sweet, Seemed yet to haunt the ancient place:
1898, Lewis Carroll, “Three Sunsets”, in Three Sunsets and Other Poems:While the final festivities were bittersweet, David and Lisa insisted on a party rather than a funeral.
2020 January 16, Diana Hubbell, “Bittersweet Berlin goodbye as Clärchens Ballhaus faces uncertain future”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:[…] sensations of this kind, however delicious, are, at their first recognition, of a very tumultuous nature, and have very little of the opiate in them. They were, moreover, in the present case, embittered with certain circumstances, which being mixed with sweeter ingredients, tended altogether to compose a draught that might be termed bitter-sweet […]
1749, Henry Fielding, chapter III, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
- Of bittersweet color (see the noun section, below).
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more bittersweet | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| bitter-sweet | alternative | lexicographic | |
| most bittersweet | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Deriveds
bittersweetness · bittersweetly
Translations (70)
he מָתוֹק מַר (both bitter and sweet) · sv bitterljuv (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · eo dolĉamara (both bitter and sweet) · fr doux-amer (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · fr doux-amer (both bitter and sweet) · tr buruk (both bitter and sweet) · af bitter soet (both bitter and sweet) · bn বিটারসুইট (both bitter and sweet) · ar حُلْو وَمُرّ (both bitter and sweet) · es agridulce (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · nap 'nzeviero (both bitter and sweet) · nl bitterzoet (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · pt agridoce (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · el γλυκόξινος (both bitter and sweet) · ko 달콤 씁쓸한 (both bitter and sweet) · de bittersüß (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · gl agridoce (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · gl agridoce (both bitter and sweet) · bg сла́дко-горчи́в (both bitter and sweet) · pl słodko-gorzki (both bitter and sweet) · ar حُلْو وَمُرّ (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · fi katkeransuloinen (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · ja ほろ苦い (both bitter and sweet) · sq gazavaj (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · ru горько-сладкий (both bitter and sweet) · mk горко-сладок (both bitter and sweet) · sh gorkosladak (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · el γλυκόπικρος (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · tr buruk sevinç (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · tl agridulse (both bitter and sweet) · grc γλυκύπικρος (both bitter and sweet) · es dulce y amargo (both bitter and sweet) · si තිත්ත (both bitter and sweet) · vi cay đắng ngọt ngào (both bitter and sweet) · bg сла́дко-горчи́в (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · it dolceamaro (both bitter and sweet) · ca agredolç (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · ar حُلْوَة وَمُرَّة (both bitter and sweet) · ja 悲喜こもごも (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · hu keserédes (both bitter and sweet) · fr aigre-doux (both bitter and sweet) · sh gorkosladak (both bitter and sweet) · hu keserédes (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · it agrodolce (both bitter and sweet) · de bittersüß (both bitter and sweet) · el γλυκόπικρος (both bitter and sweet) · be горка-салодкі (both bitter and sweet) · cmn 苦甜 (both bitter and sweet) · ca agredolç (both bitter and sweet) · fr mi-figue mi-raisin (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · is ljúfsár (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · tr mayhoş (both bitter and sweet) · ar حُلْوَة وَمُرَّة (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · la dulcamarus (both bitter and sweet) · it agrodolce (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · fa تلخ و شیرین (both bitter and sweet) · es agridulce (both bitter and sweet) · sh горкосладак (both bitter and sweet) · mk горко-сладок (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · id pahit manis (both bitter and sweet) · pt agridoce (both bitter and sweet) · nl bitterzoet (both bitter and sweet) · mn амьдралын баяр гуниг (both bitter and sweet) · tr acısı ve tatlısı ile (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · uz shirin achchiq (both bitter and sweet) · pl zaprawiony kroplą goryczy (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure) · km ភាពល្វីងនៅឡើយ (both bitter and sweet) · fi katkeranmakea (both bitter and sweet) · tl matamis na mapait (both bitter and sweet) · eo dolĉamara (expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure)