bittersweet
bittersweet Lexical Profile
bittersweet Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Arousing pleasure or happiness tinged with sadness, nostalgia, or pain.
"Graduating from college was a bittersweet milestone, as we were excited for our futures yet sad to leave our closest friends behind."
Tasting both bitter and sweet at the same time, especially describing dark chocolate with high cocoa content and little added sugar.
"The pastry chef melted bittersweet chocolate over a double boiler to create a rich glaze for the torte."
• noun
Any of several woody climbing vines, specifically a North American shrubby vine of the staff-tree family (Celastrus scandens) noted for its yellow capsules that open in autumn to reveal bright red-orange seeds, or the Eurasian woody nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) bearing purple flowers and poisonous red berries.
"Wreaths woven from autumn bittersweet hung on the front doors throughout the New England village."
Pleasure or happiness accompanied by suffering, regret, or sorrow, or an experience that combines both.
"The novel captures the poignant bittersweet of youthful romance and the passage of time."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in Middle English in the late 14th century as a compound of 'bitter' and 'sweet', mirroring the ancient Greek oxymoron 'glukupikros' popularized by the lyric poet Sappho to describe the dual pleasure and pain of love.