bitter-sweet noun & adjective. ['bɪtǝswi:t] In senses A.3, 4 usu. bittersweet. LME.
[from BITTER adjective + SWEET noun, adjective.]
A. noun.
1. A bitter-sweet thing; sweetness or pleasure alloyed with bitterness. LME.

2. A variety of apple with a bitter-sweet taste. LME.

3. = woody NIGHTSHADE. M16.

4. Any of several climbing shrubs of the genus Celastrus (family Celastraceae), esp. (more fully climbing bitter-sweet, false bitter-sweet, American bitter-sweet) C. scandens of N. America (also called staff vine). E19.
b. adjective. Sweet with an admixture or aftertaste of bitterness; fig. agreeable or pleasant with an alloy of pain or bitterness. E17.

■ bitter-sweeting noun (rare, Shakes.) = BITTER-SWEET noun 2: only in L16.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲