bitter

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɪtə(ɹ)/, [ˈbɪtʰə], (colloquially also) [ˈbɪʔə]
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈbɪtɚ/, [ˈbɪɾɚ]

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Homophone: bidder (in some dialects)
• Hyphenation: bit‧ter
• Rhymes: -ɪtə(ɹ)

Etymology 1

From Middle English bitter, bittre, from Old English bitter, biter (“bitter”), from Proto-West Germanic *bitr, from Proto-Germanic *bitraz (“bitter”), equivalent to bite +‎ -er (agent noun suffix) used attributively. Cognate with Saterland Frisian bitter, West Frisian bitter, Low German bitter, Dutch bitter, German bitter, Swedish bitter, Icelandic bitur (all meaning “bitter”).

Adjective

bitter (comparative more bitter or bitterer, superlative most bitter or bitterest)

1. 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:

     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, “The Fundamental Nihilism of Yanny vs. Laurel”, in Wired:

     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.

2. Harsh, piercing, acerbic 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 […].

3. 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^[1]:

     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, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:

     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, Colossians 3:19:

     Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

4. Cynical and resentful.

   I've been bitter ever since that defeat.

Usage notes

• The one-word compared forms bitterer, bitterest are less common than their two-word counterparts more bitter and most bitter.

Synonyms

• acrid, caustic
• (cynical and resentful): jaded

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “cynical and resentful”): optimistic

Derived terms

• bitter almond
• bitter apple
• bitter bark
• bitter bean
• bitter bolete
• bitterbrush
• bitter buchu
• bitterbush
• bitter cold
• bittercress
• bitter-cress
• bitter cucumber
• bitterful
• bitter gourd
• bitter herbs
• bitterish
• bitterless
• bitterling
• bitterly
• bittermelon
• bitter melon
• bitterness
• bitternut
• bitter orange
• bitter panicgrass
• bitter pill
• bitter pill to swallow
• bitter pit
• bitterroot
• bitter rot
• bittersharp
• bittersome
• bitter spar
• bitter-sweet
• bittersweet
• bitter vetch
• bitterweed
• bitterwood
• bitterwort
• debitter
• debitterize
• embitter
• imbitter
• mild and bitter
• nonbitter
• overbitter
• sugarcoat a bitter pill
• swallow a bitter pill
• take the bitter with the sweet
• unbitter

 

Descendants

• Sranan Tongo: bita

Translations

having an acrid taste

• Aklanon: mapait
• Albanian: hidhur (sq)
• Amharic: መራራ (märara)
• Arabic: مُرّ (ar) (murr)

  Egyptian Arabic: مر (murr)

• Argobba: መራራ (märārā)
• Armenian: դառն (hy) (daṙn), կծու (hy) (kcu), մռու (hy) (mṙu)
• Aromanian: amar
• Assamese: তিতা (tita)
• Asturian: amargu (ast)
• Azerbaijani: acı (az), mürr
• Belarusian: го́ркі (hórki)
• Bengali: তিতা (bn) (tita)
• Bhojpuri: तीत (tīt)
• Bikol Central: mapait
• Breton: c'hwerv (br)
• Buginese: pai
• Bulgarian: горчив (bg) (gorčiv)
• Burmese: ခါး (my) (hka:)
• Catalan: amarg (ca)
• Cebuano: pait
• Chamicuro: pshawa
• Chechen: къаьхьа (qʼäḥʳa)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 苦 (fu²)

  Mandarin: 苦澀／苦涩 (zh) (kǔsè), 苦 (zh) (kǔ)

• Czech: hořký (cs) m
• Dalmatian: amur, amuor, marcus
• Danish: bitter (da)
• Dutch: bitter (nl)
• Dzongkha: ཁག་དྲགས (khag drags)
• Esperanto: amara (eo)
• Estonian: mõru, kibe (et)
• Even: гот (got)
• Ewe: veve
• Faroese: beiskur
• Fijian: qona
• Finnish: kitkerä (fi), karvas (fi)
• French: amer (fr)
• Friulian: amar, amâr
• Galician: amargo (gl)
• Gallurese: ràncicu
• Georgian: მწარე (mc̣are)
• German: bitter (de); (in a pleasant way, as in beer) herb (de)
• Gothic: 𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍄𐍂𐍃 (baitrs)
• Greek: πικρός (el) m (pikrós)

  Ancient: πικρός (pikrós)

• Guaraní: ro
• Hebrew: מַר (he) m (mar), מרה (he) f (mará), מָרִיר (he) m (marír), מרירה f (merirá)
• Higaonon: mapait
• Hiligaynon: mapait
• Hindi: कड़वा (hi) (kaṛvā), कड़ा (hi) (kaṛā), कटु (hi) (kaṭu), तल्ख (hi) (talkh)
• Hungarian: keserű (hu)
• Icelandic: beiskur
• Ido: bitra (io)
• Indonesian: pahit (id)
• Ingrian: karkia
• Ingush: къахьа (qʼaḥʳa)
• Interlingua: amar (ia)
• Irish: searbh, goirt, domlasta
• Italian: amaro (it) m, amara (it) f
• Ivatan: makpad
• Japanese: 苦い (ja) (にがい, nigai)
• Javanese: pait (jv)
• Kapampangan: mapait
• Kazakh: ащы (aşy), ашты (aşty)
• Khmer: ចត់ (km) (cɑt), ជូរ (km) (cuu)
• Korean: 쓰다 (ko) (sseuda)
• Kurdish:

  Central Kurdish: تاڵ (tall)

  Northern Kurdish: tal (ku)

• Kyrgyz: ачуу (ky) (acuu)
• Lao: ຂົມ (lo) (khom)
• Latgalian: ryugts m
• Latin: amārus (la)
• Latvian: rūgts (lv), sīvs (lv), sūrs
• Lombard: amar, mar (lmo)
• Low German: bitter (nds)
• Macedonian: горчлив (gorčliv)
• Makasar: pai
• Malay: pahit (ms)
• Malayalam: കയ്പ്പ് (kayppŭ)
• Maltese: morr
• Manchu: ᡤᠣᠰᡳᡥᠣᠨ (gosihon)
• Mansaka: pait
• Mansi:

  Northern Mansi: восьрамыӈ (vosʹramyň)

• Maranao: mapa'it
• Marathi: कडू (mr) (kaḍū)
• Mbyá Guaraní: ai
• Mongolian: гашуун (mn) (gašuun)
• Nanai: гочиси (gočisi)
• Naxi: ka
• Norman: amé
• Norwegian: bitter (no)
• Occitan: amar (oc)
• Odia: କଟୁ (or) (kaṭu), ତିକ୍ତ (or) (tikta)
• Ojibwe: wiisagi-
• Old Church Slavonic:

  Cyrillic: горькъ (gorĭkŭ)

• Old English: āfor
• Old Javanese: pahit
• Ottoman Turkish: آجی (acı)
• Persian: تلخ (fa) (talx)
• Plautdietsch: betta
• Polish: gorzki (pl)
• Portuguese: amargo (pt)
• Quechua: k'allku
• Romanian: amar (ro)
• Russian: го́рький (ru) (górʹkij)
• Sanskrit: तिक्त (sa) (tikta)
• Sardinian:

  Campidanese: amargu

  Logudorese: rànzigu, rànchiu

• Sassarese: rànzigu
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: горак, грк, трпак, опор

  Roman: gorak (sh), grk (sh), trpak (sh), opor (sh)

• Sicilian: amaru (scn)
• Slovak: horký
• Slovene: grenak (sl)
• Somali: qadhaadh (so)
• Sorbian:

  Lower Sorbian: górki

  Upper Sorbian: hórki, jěrki

• Spanish: amargo (es)
• Swedish: bitter (sv), besk (sv)
• Tagalog: mapait
• Tajik: талх (tg) (talx)
• Tausug: mapait
• Tedim Chin: kha
• Telugu: చేదు (te) (cēdu)
• Thai: ขม (th) (kǒm)
• Tongan: kava
• Turkish: acı (tr), keskin (tr), acılı (tr), yakıcı (tr), sert (tr), şiddetli (tr), iliklere işleyen
• Turkmen: ajy (tk)
• Ugaritic: 𐎎𐎗 (mr)
• Ukrainian: гірки́й (hirkýj)
• Urdu: کڑوا (kaṛvā)
• Uzbek: achchiq (uz)
• Vietnamese: đắng (vi)
• Welsh: chwerw (cy)
• Yakut: аһыы (ahıı)
• Yiddish: ביטער (biter)
• Zazaki: tun (diq)
• Zou: khe

harsh, piercing or stinging

• Arabic: أَلِيم (ʔalīm)
• Armenian: սուր (hy) (sur), ծակող (hy) (cakoġ), դաժան (hy) (dažan), անողոք (hy) (anoġokʻ), սաստիկ (hy) (sastik)
• Bulgarian: остър (bg) (ostǎr)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 苦 (zh) (kǔ), 嚴酷／严酷 (zh) (yánkù)

• Danish: bidende
• Dutch: scherp (nl)
• Finnish: terävä (fi)
• French: dur (fr), sévère (fr), rude (fr)
• German: bitter (de), arg (de), harsch (de), hart (de)
• Greek: πικρός (el) m (pikrós)
• Hindi: तीव्र (hi) (tīvra), उग्र (hi) (ugra)
• Hungarian: metsző (hu)
• Irish:

  Old Irish: aicher

• Italian: aspro (it), (of weather) gelido (it)
• Japanese: 激しい (ja) (はげしい, hageshii), 過酷な (ja) (かこくな, kakoku na), 荒々しい (ja) (あらあらしい, araarashii)
• Latin: acerbus (la)
• Marathi: तीव्र (tīvra), उग्र (ugra)
• Ottoman Turkish: آجی (acı)
• Portuguese: agudo (pt), penetrante (pt)
• Russian: го́рький (ru) (górʹkij), мучи́тельный (ru) (mučítelʹnyj), суро́вый (ru) (suróvyj)

hateful or hostile

• Arabic: مَقِيت (maqīt), مَمْقُوت (mamqūt)
• Armenian: չար (hy) (čʻar), ամենաչար (amenačʻar)
• Bulgarian: злобен (bg) (zloben), враждебен (bg) (vraždeben)
• Catalan: hostil
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 可恨 (zh) (kěhèn), 可惡／可恶 (zh) (kěwù), (hostile) 懷敵意／怀敌意 (zh) (huáidíyì)

• Danish: bitter (da)
• Dutch: bitter (nl)
• Finnish: katkera (fi)
• French: haineux (fr), haïssable (fr), odieux (fr), (hostile) hostile (fr)
• German: erbittert (de), verhasst (de), hässlich (de), (hostile) feindlich (de)
• Hindi: ईर्ष्यालु (hi) (īrṣyālu)
• Hungarian: elkeseredett (hu)
• Japanese: 憎らしい (ja) (nikurashii), いやな (iya na), (hostile) 敵対 (ja) (tekitai)
• Latin: asper
• Maori: pūraurau (referring to feelings and words)
• Marathi: कट्टर (kaṭṭar)
• Norwegian: bitter (no)
• Portuguese: encarniçado
• Russian: зло́бный (ru) (zlóbnyj), злой (ru) (zloj), ненави́стный (ru) (nenavístnyj), вражде́бный (ru) (vraždébnyj)
• Serbo-Croatian: ljȗt (sh)
• Swedish: bitter (sv)
• Telugu: చేదు (te) (cēdu)

cynical and resentful

• Armenian: խայթող (xaytʻoġ)
• Bulgarian: циничен (bg) (ciničen)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 心酸 (zh) (xīnsuān)

• Czech: zatrpklý
• Danish: bitter (da), forbitret
• Dutch: verbitterd (nl)
• Finnish: katkera (fi)
• French: amer (fr)
• German: verbittert (de)
• Gothic: 𐌱𐌰𐌹𐍄𐍂𐍃 (baitrs)
• Greek: πικρός (el) m (pikrós)
• Hebrew: מריר (he) m (marír), מרירה f (merirá)
• Hungarian: megkeseredett (hu)
• Irish: domlasta
• Latin: amarus (la)
• Maori: pūraurau
• Norwegian: bitter (no)
• Ottoman Turkish: آجی (acı)
• Polish: zgorzkniały m
• Portuguese: amargurado (pt) m
• Russian: злой (ru) (zloj), озло́бленный (ru) (ozlóblennyj)
• Serbo-Croatian: ògōrčen (sh), о̀го̄рчен
• Slovene: zagrenjen
• Spanish: amargado (es)
• Swedish: bitter (sv)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Breton: ^{(please verify)} c'hwerv (br)
• Hindi: ^{(please verify)} कडुवा (kaḍuvā)
• Indonesian: ^{(please verify)} pahit (id), ^{(please verify)} getir (id)
• Interlingua: ^{(please verify)} acerbe, ^{(please verify)} amar (ia)
• Lithuanian: ^{(please verify)} kartùs (lt) m
• Urdu: ^{(please verify)} کڑوا (kaḍuvā)
• Volapük: ^{(please verify)} biedik (vo)

See also

• bitter end

Noun

bitter (countable and uncountable, plural bitters)

1. (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.

2. A type of beer heavily flavored with hops.
3. (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

liquid or powder used in mixed drinks or as tonic

• Armenian: դառնություն (hy) (daṙnutʻyun)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 苦啤酒 (kǔpíjiǔ)

• Danish: bitter (da)
• Finnish: katkero (fi)
• Hungarian: gyomorkeserű (hu)

type of beer

• Armenian: դառը գարեջուր (daṙə gareǰur)
• Danish: bitter (da)
• Finnish: bitter (fi)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} bíter m

See also

Basic tastes in English (layout · text)
sweet	sour	salty	bitter	spicy	savory

Verb

bitter (third-person singular simple present bitters, present participle bittering, simple past and past participle bittered)

1. To make bitter.
   • 1766, John Wilkinson, Tutamen Nauticum:

     bittered with the hop

Translations

to make bitter

• Finnish: katkeroida

Etymology 2

From bit +‎ -er.

Noun

bitter (plural bitters)

1. (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.

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch bitter, from Middle Dutch bitter, from Old Dutch bitter, from Proto-West Germanic *bitr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbətər/

Adjective

bitter (attributive bitter or bittere, comparative bitterder, superlative bitterste)

1. bitter (having an acrid taste)
2. very

Danish

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Middle Low German bitter.

Adjective

bitter

1. bitter (all meanings)

Inflection

Inflection of bitter
	Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Indefinte common singular	bitter	bitrere	bitrest2
Indefinite 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)

1. bitter (the liquid used in drinks)
2. A bitter form of an aquavit

Inflection

Declension of bitter

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

1. 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 *bitr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɪtər/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: bit‧ter
• Rhymes: -ɪtər

Adjective

bitter (comparative bitterder, superlative bitterst)

1. bitter (having an acrid taste)
2. bitter, embittered

Declension

Declension 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

• bitterheid
• bitterkoekje
• bitterzoet
• verbitteren

 

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)

1. bitters, a type of strong spirits made by steeping (often bitter) herbs in brandy or jenever, traditionally considered a digestive drink

   Synonym: kruidenbitter

   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.

Derived terms

• bitterbal
• bittergarnituur
• kruidenbitter
• oranjebitter

 

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

1. 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
abessive		bitterittä	bittereittä
instructive		—	bitterein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of bitter (Kotus type 6/paperi, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative bitterini bitterini accusative nom. bitterini bitterini gen. bitterini genitive bitterini bitterieni bittereideni bittereitteni partitive bitteriäni bittereitäni bitterejäni inessive bitterissäni bittereissäni elative bitteristäni bittereistäni illative bitteriini bittereihini adessive bitterilläni bittereilläni ablative bitteriltäni bittereiltäni allative bitterilleni bittereilleni essive bitterinäni bittereinäni translative bitterikseni bittereikseni abessive bitterittäni bittereittäni instructive — — comitative — bittereineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative bitterisi bitterisi accusative nom. bitterisi bitterisi gen. bitterisi genitive bitterisi bitteriesi bittereidesi bittereittesi partitive bitteriäsi bittereitäsi bitterejäsi inessive bitterissäsi bittereissäsi elative bitteristäsi bittereistäsi illative bitteriisi bittereihisi adessive bitterilläsi bittereilläsi ablative bitteriltäsi bittereiltäsi allative bitterillesi bittereillesi essive bitterinäsi bittereinäsi translative bitteriksesi bittereiksesi abessive bitterittäsi bittereittäsi instructive — — comitative — bittereinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative bitterimme bitterimme accusative nom. bitterimme bitterimme gen. bitterimme genitive bitterimme bitteriemme bittereidemme bittereittemme partitive bitteriämme bittereitämme bitterejämme inessive bitterissämme bittereissämme elative bitteristämme bittereistämme illative bitteriimme bittereihimme adessive bitterillämme bittereillämme ablative bitteriltämme bittereiltämme allative bitterillemme bittereillemme essive bitterinämme bittereinämme translative bitteriksemme bittereiksemme abessive bitterittämme bittereittämme instructive — — comitative — bittereinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative bitterinne bitterinne accusative nom. bitterinne bitterinne gen. bitterinne genitive bitterinne bitterienne bittereidenne bittereittenne partitive bitteriänne bittereitänne bitterejänne inessive bitterissänne bittereissänne elative bitteristänne bittereistänne illative bitteriinne bittereihinne adessive bitterillänne bittereillänne ablative bitteriltänne bittereiltänne allative bitterillenne bittereillenne essive bitterinänne bittereinänne translative bitteriksenne bittereiksenne abessive bitterittänne bittereittänne instructive — — comitative — bittereinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative bitterinsä bitterinsä accusative nom. bitterinsä bitterinsä gen. bitterinsä genitive bitterinsä bitteriensä bittereidensä bittereittensä partitive bitteriään bitteriänsä bittereitään bitterejään bittereitänsä bitterejänsä inessive bitterissään bitterissänsä bittereissään bittereissänsä elative bitteristään bitteristänsä bittereistään bittereistänsä illative bitteriinsä bittereihinsä adessive bitterillään bitterillänsä bittereillään bittereillänsä ablative bitteriltään bitteriltänsä bittereiltään bittereiltänsä allative bitterilleen bitterillensä bittereilleen bittereillensä essive bitterinään bitterinänsä bittereinään bittereinänsä translative bitterikseen bitteriksensä bittereikseen bittereiksensä abessive bitterittään bitterittänsä bittereittään bittereittänsä instructive — — comitative — bittereineen bittereinensä

Further reading

• “bitter”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bi.te/

• Audio (Paris):

  (file)

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

bitter

1. (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

Conjugation of bitter (see also Appendix:French verbs)

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		–	tu	–	nous	vous	–
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: past historic → present perfect past anterior → pluperfect imperfect subjunctive → present subjunctive pluperfect subjunctive → past subjunctive (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 *bitr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɪ.tɐ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

bitter (strong nominative masculine singular bitterer, comparative bitterer, superlative am bittersten)

1. bitter

Declension

Positive forms of bitter

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
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

Comparative forms of bitter

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
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

Superlative forms of bitter

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
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

See also

Basic tastes in German (layout · text)
süß	sauer	salzig	bitter	scharf	herzhaft

Adverb

bitter

1. 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)

1. bitters

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch bitter, from Proto-West Germanic *bitr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɪtːər/

Adjective

bitter

1. bitter (taste)
2. 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)

1. 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)

1. bitter

References

• “bitter” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbit.ter/

Adjective

bitter

1. Alternative form of biter

Declension

Declension of bitter — Strong

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

Declension of bitter — Weak

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

1. 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)

1. bitter; having an acrid taste
2. bitter; hateful
3. 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

See also

• besk

References

• bitter in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• bitter in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• bitter in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Anagrams

• bittre