I. ˈbi-tər-ˌswēt noun
Date: 14th century
1. : something that is bittersweet ; especially : pleasure alloyed with pain
2.
a. : a poisonous Eurasian woody vine ( Solanum dulcamara ) of the nightshade family that has purple flowers and oval reddish berries and is naturalized in North America
b. : a North American poisonous woody vine ( Celastrus scandens ) of the staff-tree family having clusters of small greenish flowers succeeded by yellow capsules that open when ripe and disclose the scarlet aril
II. adjective
Date: 1576
1. : being at once bitter and sweet ; especially : pleasant but including or marked by elements of suffering or regret
a bittersweet ballad
2. : of or relating to a prepared chocolate containing little sugar
• bit·ter·sweet·ly adverb
• bit·ter·sweet·ness noun