# bittersweet

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈbɪtɚˌswit/ · frequency rank #21,144

## Definitions
1. Both bitter and sweet.
2. Expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure.
3. Of bittersweet color (see the noun section, below).

## Etymology
From Middle English bitterswete, biterswete, equivalent to bitter + sweet. Cognate with Saterland Frisian bitterswäit (“bittersweet”), West Frisian bittersoet (“bittersweet”), Dutch bitterzoet (“bittersweet”), German bittersüß (“bittersweet”), Danish bittersød (“bittersweet”), Swedish bittersöt (“bittersweet”).

## Common misspellings (15)
`bbittersweet`, `bitersweet`, `bitetrsweet`, `bitterrsweet`, `bittersewet`, `bitterssweet`, `bittersweett`, `bitterswet`, `bitterswete`, `bitterswweet`, `bitterwseet`, `bittesrweet`, `bittresweet`, `btitersweet`, `ibttersweet`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bittersweet