Bitterness
Etymology
From Old English "biter," from a Germanic root related to "bite" — the sharp taste that bites the tongue. The emotion is a direct metaphor from the mouth: bitterness is the aftertaste of experiences that “left a bad taste.” We still speak of “swallowing” a bitter truth.
noun · /BIT-er-nis/
A pervasive, souring sense of disappointment and grievance that colors one’s outlook.
What it names
Use it for resentment gone chronic — the settled sourness of someone who feels life has cheated them.
Example
The bitterness in his voice about the industry had hardened over three decades of near-misses.
Related idea
Against resentment: resentment has a target and a story (“my brother wronged me”); bitterness has outlived the story and become a disposition, a flavor the person carries into everything. Resentment can be resolved by an apology; bitterness rarely can, because it no longer points anywhere in particular.
See also