bittersweet

bittersweet
—bittersweetly, adv. —bittersweetness, n.
adj. /bit'euhr sweet", bit"euhr sweet'/; n. /bit"euhr sweet'/, adj.
1. both bitter and sweet to the taste: bittersweet chocolate.
2. both pleasant and painful or regretful: a bittersweet memory.
n.
3. 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. 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; ME; see BITTER, SWEET]

* * *

Any of several vines with colourful fruit.

The genus Celastrus (family Celastraceae) includes American bittersweet, or staff vine (C. scandens), and Oriental bittersweet (C. orbiculatus), woody vines grown as ornamentals. Oriental bittersweet is a more vigorous climber than the American species. Both types climb by twining around supports. Another bittersweet, Solanum dulcamara, belongs to the nightshade family.

* * *

▪ plant
 any of several vines with colourful fruit. The genus Celastrus, in the staff tree family (Celastraceae), includes the American bittersweet, or staff vine (C. scandens), and the Oriental bittersweet (C. orbiculatus), woody vines grown as ornamentals. The flowers, in whitish clusters, are followed by yellow to orange capsules, which split to reveal yellow to crimson arils enclosing the seeds. Oriental bittersweet is a more vigorous climber, reaching up to 12 metres (40 feet); the American species, up to 7.5 m, often has many sterile individuals in its population. Both types climb by twining around supports. Another bittersweet, also called nightshade (q.v.) or woody nightshade (Solanum dulcamara), belongs to the family Solanaceae. It is an herbaceous vine, up to 4.5 m long; the violet and yellow star-shaped flowers are followed by shiny green berries that gradually turn bright red.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Bittersweet — refers to a combination of the standard tastes of sweetness and bitterness, and is often used as a metaphor for experiences which have elements of both happiness and sadness.The term may also refer to:Biology*A vine in the nightshade family,… …   Wikipedia

  • Bittersweet Me — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda «Bittersweet Me» Sencillo de R.E.M. del álbum New Adventures in Hi Fi Publicación 5 de noviembre de 1996 Formato …   Wikipedia Español

  • Bittersweet — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda «Bittersweet» Sencillo de Apocalyptica del álbum Apocalyptica Publicación 29 de noviembre del 2004 Formato CD Single …   Wikipedia Español

  • Bittersweet — Bit ter*sweet , n. 1. Anything which is bittersweet. [1913 Webster] 2. A kind of apple so called. Gower. [1913 Webster] 3. (Bot.) (a) A climbing shrub, with oval coral red berries ({Solanum dulcamara}); woody nightshade. The whole plant is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Bittersweet — Bit ter*sweet , a. Sweet and then bitter or bitter and then sweet; esp. sweet with a bitter after taste; hence (Fig.), pleasant but painful. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bittersweet — also bitter sweet, late 14c. as a noun; used especially in M.E. of a type of apple, from BITTER (Cf. bitter) (adj.) + SWEET (Cf. sweet) (adj.). As an adjective, attested from 1610s …   Etymology dictionary

  • bittersweet — ► ADJECTIVE 1) sweet with a bitter aftertaste. 2) arousing pleasure tinged with sadness or pain. ► NOUN ▪ a vine like American climbing plant bearing clusters of bright orange pods …   English terms dictionary

  • bittersweet — [bit′ər swēt΄] n. ☆ 1. a North American twining woody vine (Celastrus scandens) of the staff tree family, with poisonous leaves, and bearing clusters of small orange fruits with bright red fleshy seeds 2. a poisonous, climbing European vine… …   English World dictionary

  • bittersweet — I noun 1. poisonous perennial Old World vine having violet flowers and oval coral red berries; widespread weed in North America • Syn: ↑bittersweet nightshade, ↑climbing nightshade, ↑deadly nightshade, ↑poisonous nightshade, ↑woody nightshade,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Bittersweet Me — Infobox Single | Name = Bittersweet Me Artist = R.E.M. from Album = New Adventures in Hi Fi Released = November 5, 1996 Format = CD single, 7 single, Cassette Recorded = November 7, 1995 Memphis soundcheck Genre = Rock Length = 4:06 Label =… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”