bittersweet

1 of 2

noun

bit·​ter·​sweet ˈbi-tər-ˌswēt How to pronounce bittersweet (audio)
1
: something that is bittersweet
especially : pleasure accompanied by suffering or regret
… the bittersweet of their long separation … Christopher Morley
2
botany
a
: a poisonous Eurasian woody vine (Solanum dulcamara) of the nightshade family that has purple flowers and oval reddish berries and is naturalized (see naturalize sense 4) in North America
b
: a North American poisonous woody vine (Celastrus scandens) of the staff-tree family having clusters of small greenish flowers succeeded by yellow capsules (see capsule entry 1 sense 2a) that open when ripe and disclose the scarlet aril

bittersweet

2 of 2

adjective

1
: being at once bitter and sweet
especially : pleasant but including or marked by elements of suffering or regret
a bittersweet ballad
bittersweet memories
2
: of or relating to a prepared chocolate containing little sugar
bittersweet chocolate chips
bittersweetly adverb
bittersweetness noun

Examples of bittersweet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Their characters had a deep connection and were hilarious together, making their send-off bittersweet. TIME, 14 Mar. 2024 The mood was all at once jubilant and a little bittersweet. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Jan. 2024
Adjective
Despite the bittersweet moments of parenting, like watching her daughter move away to attend FAMU, Heavenly finds joy in the process of letting go. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 27 Nov. 2024 The result is a cocktail that’s refreshing yet robust, with a bittersweet finish that keeps you coming back for more. Emily Price, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bittersweet 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bittersweet was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near bittersweet

Cite this Entry

“Bittersweet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bittersweet. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

bittersweet

1 of 2 noun
bit·​ter·​sweet ˈbit-ər-ˌswēt How to pronounce bittersweet (audio)
1
: a poisonous woody vine of the nightshade family with purple flowers and oval reddish orange berries
2
: a North American woody vine with yellow seedcases that open when ripe to show the scarlet seed covers

bittersweet

2 of 2 adjective
: being both bitter and sweet
a bittersweet story

Medical Definition

bittersweet

noun
bit·​ter·​sweet ˈbit-ər-ˌswēt, ˌbit-ər-ˈ How to pronounce bittersweet (audio)
: a sprawling poisonous weedy nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) with purple flowers and oval reddish orange berries that is the source of dulcamara

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