BITTERSWEET

bittersweet

(adjective) tinged with sadness; “a movie with a bittersweet ending”

bittersweet, semisweet

(adjective) having a taste that is a mixture of bitterness and sweetness

bittersweet, American bittersweet, climbing bittersweet, false bittersweet, staff vine, waxwork, shrubby bittersweet, Celastrus scandens

(noun) twining shrub of North America having yellow capsules enclosing scarlet seeds

bittersweet, bittersweet nightshade, climbing nightshade, deadly nightshade, poisonous nightshade, woody nightshade, Solanum dulcamara

(noun) poisonous perennial Old World vine having violet flowers and oval coral-red berries; widespread weed in North America

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Adjective

bittersweet (comparative more bittersweet, superlative most bittersweet)

Both bitter and sweet.

Expressing contrasting emotions of pain and pleasure.

Of bittersweet color.

Noun

bittersweet (plural bittersweets)

Bittersweetness.

A vine, of the genus Celastrus, having small orange fruits that open to reveal red seeds.

The bittersweet nightshade, Solanum dulcamara.

A variety of apple with a bittersweet taste.

Any variety of clam in the family Glycymerididae

A pinkish-orange color. Any color in between scarlet and orange.

Source: Wiktionary

Bit"ter*sweet`, a.

Definition: Sweet and then bitter or bitter and then sweet; esp. sweet with a bitter after taste; hence (Fig.), pleasant but painful.

Bit"ter*sweet`, n.

1. Anything which is bittersweet.

2. A kind of apple so called. Gower.

3. (Bot.) (a) A climbing shrub, with oval coral-red berries (Solanum dulcamara); woody nightshade. The whole plant is poisonous, and has a taste at first sweetish and then bitter. The branches are the officinal dulcamara. (b) An American woody climber (Celastrus scandens), whose yellow capsules open late in autumn, and disclose the red aril which covers the seeds; -- also called Roxbury waxwork.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition