Embitterments

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Feelings of deep-seated frustration and resentment can develop due to perceived injustices or emotional disappointments
2. Emotional turmoil and bitterness may accumulate as a response to ongoing grievances or lasting discontent
3. Resentment and bitterness can arise from unresolved grievances and a sense of betrayal, leading to emotional distress and frustration

Etymology: "Embitterments" is the plural of "embitterment," a noun built from the verb "embitter" plus the suffix "-ment." The verb itself is formed by adding the prefix "em-" to "bitter," so "to make bitter," and the suffix comes down through Old French from Latin "-mentum," a common ending that turns a verb into a noun naming the act or result of that action. English has long attached "-ment" to verbs in this way, producing words such as "amazement" and "payment." Read this way, "embitterment" names the state or result of being made bitter, and the plural "embitterments" refers to individual instances of that feeling. It is a straightforward compound of a prefixed verb and a productive suffix rather than a word with a dramatic backstory, so its history is best understood by looking at how each piece was assembled.

Synonyms: resentments, bitterness, animosities, hostilities, grievances