bittersweet

UK: /ˌbɪtə^rˈswiːt/

US: /ˈbɪtɚˌswit/

US: (adj. bit′ər swēt′, bit′ər swēt′; n. bit′ər swēt′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

bit•ter•sweet /ˈbɪtɚˌswit/   adj. 

1. Food both bitter and sweet to the taste:
   bittersweet chocolate.
2. both pleasant and painful:
   a bittersweet memory.

n. [countable]

3. Plant Biology a climbing or trailing plant of the nightshade family.
4. Plant Biology a climbing plant having orange capsules.

bit•ter•sweet•ly, adv. 
bit•ter•sweet•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

bit•ter•sweet  (adj. bit′ər swēt′, bit′ər swēt′;n. bit′ər swēt′), adj. 

1. Food both bitter and sweet to the taste:
   bittersweet chocolate.
2. both pleasant and painful or regretful:
   a bittersweet memory.

n. 

3. Plant Biology Also called woody nightshade. a climbing or trailing plant, Solanum dulcamara, of the nightshade family, having small, violet, star-shaped flowers with a protruding yellow center and scarlet berries.
4. Plant Biology Also called climbing bittersweet. any climbing plant of the genus Celastrus, bearing orange capsules opening to expose red-coated seeds, esp. C. scandens.
5. pleasure mingled with pain or regret:
   the bittersweet of parting.

• 1350–1400; Middle English; see bitter, sweet

bit′ter•sweet′ly, adv. 
bit′ter•sweet′ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bittersweet / ˈbɪtəˌswiːt/ noun

1. any of several North American woody climbing plants of the genus Celastrus, esp C. scandens, having orange capsules that open to expose scarlet-coated seeds: family Celastraceae
2. another name for woody nightshade

adjective

1. tasting of or being a mixture of bitterness and sweetness
2. pleasant but tinged with sadness