bit·ter / ˈbitər/ • adj. 1. having a sharp, pungent taste or smell; not sweet: the raw berries have an intensely bitter flavor. ∎  (of chocolate) dark and unsweetened. 2. (of people or their feelings or behavior) angry, hurt, or resentful because of one's bad experiences or a sense of unjust treatment: I don't feel jealous or bitter. 3. harsh or unpleasant, in particular: ∎  (often used for emphasis) painful or unpleasant to accept or contemplate: today's decision has come as a bitter blow. ∎  (of a conflict, argument, or opponent) full of anger and acrimony: a bitter, five-year legal battle. ∎  (of wind, cold, or weather) intensely cold: a bitter wind blowing from the east. • n. 1. [mass noun] Brit. beer that is strongly flavored with hops and has a bitter taste. 2. (bitters) [treated as sing] liquor that is flavored with the sharp pungent taste of plant extracts and is used in cocktails or to promote appetite or digestion. PHRASES: to the bitter end used to say that one will continue doing something until it is finished, no matter what: the workers would fight to the bitter end for safer conditions. DERIVATIVES: bit·ter·ly adv. bit·ter·ness n.

bitter1 contrary of sweet. OE. biter, corr. to OS., OHG. bittar (Du., G. bitter), ON. bitr, Goth. baitrs; prob. f. Gmc. *bit-, base of *bītan BITE.
Hence bitter-sweet sb. XIV, adj. XVII. cf. F. aigre-doux, amer-doux. L. dulcamārum. So bitterly OE. biterlīce; see -LY2. bitterness OE. biternes.

bitter2 ‘a Bitter is but the turn of a Cable about the Bitts. . And the Bitters end is that part of the Cable doth stay within boord’ (1627, Capt Smith). f. BITT + -ER1.
Hence prob. phr. to the bitter end to the last extremity (now assoc. with BITTER1).

bitter Traditional British beer with a bitter flavour due to its content of hops.

bitter •bitter, committer, critter, embitter, emitter, fitter, flitter, fritter, glitter, gritter, hitter, jitter, knitter, litter, permitter, pitta, quitter, remitter, sitter, skitter, slitter, spitter, splitter, submitter, titter, transmitter, twitter, witter •drifter, grifter, lifter, shifter, sifter, snifter, uplifter •constrictor, contradictor, depicter, dicta, evictor, inflicter, predictor, victor •filter, kilter, philtre (US philter), quilter, tilter •Jacinta, midwinter, Minter, Pinta, Pinter, printer, splinter, sprinter, tinter, winter •sphincter •assister, ballista, bistre (US bister), blister, enlister, glister, lister, mister, resistor, Sandinista, sister, transistor, tryster, twister, vista •trickster •minster, spinster •hipster, quipster, tipster •cohabiter • arbiter • presbyter •exhibitor, inhibitor, prohibiter •Manchester • Chichester • Silchester •Rochester • Colchester •creditor, editor, subeditor •auditor • Perdita • taffeta • shopfitter •forfeiter • outfitter • counterfeiter •register • marketer •cricketer, picketer •Alistair • weightlifter • filleter •fillister • shoplifter •diameter, heptameter, hexameter, parameter, pentameter, tetrameter •Axminster • Westminster •limiter, perimeter, scimitar, velocimeter •accelerometer, anemometer, barometer, gasometer, geometer, manometer, micrometer, milometer, olfactometer, optometer, pedometer, photometer, pyrometer, speedometer, swingometer, tachometer, thermometer •Kidderminster • janitor •banister, canister •primogenitor, progenitor, senator •administer, maladminister, minister, sinister •monitor • per capita • carpenter •spanakopita • Jupiter • trumpeter •character • barrister • ferreter •teleprinter •chorister, forester •interpreter, misinterpreter •capacitor • ancestor • Exeter •stepsister •elicitor, solicitor •babysitter • house-sitter • bullshitter •competitor • catheter • harvester •riveter • banqueter • non sequitur •loquitur •inquisitor, visitor •compositor, expositor