vinegary

English

Etymology

vinegar +‎ -y

Adjective

vinegary (comparative more vinegary, superlative most vinegary)

1. Sour; like vinegar.

   When Martha reopened the bottle of wine from the previous week's party, a vinegary whiff indicated that drinking it was out of the question.

   • Cherry Jones as Nan Pierce (2023), 42:42 from the start, in Succession, season 4, episode 1: “I like my wine thin and vinegary.”
2. (figuratively) Acerbic, bitter.
   • 1959, Anthony Burgess, Beds in the East (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 562:

     Then she remembered Jalil's disgusting behaviour of the previous evening and turned to give him vinegary words.

   Edward's maiden aunt was a vinegary old soul with a sharp tongue and quick temper; she would not be receiving a wedding invitation.

   • 1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC:

     A vinegary face has Mrs Miff, and a mortified bonnet, and eke a thirsty soul for sixpences and shillings.

3. Of a liquid, having turned partially or fully to vinegar.

Synonyms

• (sour, like vinegar): acerbic, acrid, sour, tart, vinegarish
• (figurative: acerbic, bitter): acerbic, bitter, nasty, sour, vitriolic
• (having turned partially or fully to vinegar):

Derived terms

• vinegariness

Translations

sour like vinegar

• Finnish: etikkainen
• Manx: feeyn-gheayragh

figurative: acerbic, bitter

• Finnish: hapan (fi), kitkerä (fi)

having turned partially or fully to vinegar

• Finnish: etikoitunut (fi)
• Manx: feeyn-gheayragh

Anagrams

• vigenary