Definition of BITE (original) (raw)
1
a
: to seize especially with teeth or jaws so as to enter, grip, or wound
b
: to wound, pierce, or sting especially with a fang or a proboscis
getting bitten by mosquitoes
2
: to cut or pierce with or as if with an edged weapon
3
: to cause sharp pain or stinging discomfort to
the sleet biting our faces
4
: to take hold of
help the pliers bite the part
5
archaic : to take in : cheat
1
: to bite or have the habit of biting something
2
of a weapon or tool : to cut, pierce, or take hold
The anchor bites into the ocean floor.
3
: to cause irritation or smarting
Her criticisms really bite.
5
a
of fish : to take a bait
The fish aren't biting today.
b
: to respond so as to be caught (as by a trick)
c
: to accept a suggestion or an offer
offered them a deal but they wouldn't bite
6
: to take or maintain a firm hold
The anchor didn't bite well.
7
: to produce a negative effect
the recession began to bite
8
chiefly US slang, sometimes impolite : to be objectionable or extremely bad in quality : stink, suck
9
US slang : to imitate or copy (someone or something) especially without permission
There are lots of rappers biting his style—but there's only one James Brown!—
Spin
1
a
: the act of biting
took a bite of the sandwich
felt a bite at the end of the fishing line
2
a
: the amount of food taken at a bite : morsel
couldn't eat another bite
b
: a small amount of food : snack
4
: a wound made by biting
The bite became infected.
6
: a surface that creates friction or is brought into contact with another for the purpose of obtaining a hold
7
a
: a keen incisive quality
a writing style that lacks bite
b
: a sharp penetrating effect
The soup has a peppery bite.
the bite of the wind on our cheeks
8
etching : a single exposure of an etcher's plate to the corrosive action of acid
9
: an amount (as of money) taken usually in one operation for one purpose : share
a 15 percent bite for his manager
11
: an expression of interest in something being offered
In seven previous days, the seller didn't get a single bite [=no one expressed interest in buying what was offered].—Jerry Garrett et al.
Synonyms of bite
Examples of bite in a Sentence
Verb
The hamster bit the child. She bit the cookie in half. Some people bite their nails when they feel nervous. A wild animal may bite if it is frightened. The patient had been bitten by a poisonous snake. The mosquitoes are biting tonight. Are the fish biting today? Noun
He ate the candy bar in three quick bites. She gave her lip a gentle bite. The fisherman felt a bite at the end of his line and reeled in a fish. My teenage daughter wears a special device at night to correct her bite. Don't scratch that mosquito bite.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hantavirus is primarily spread by rodents through exposure to their urine, droppings or saliva and less commonly through a scratch or bite, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. —Eve Chen, USA Today, 8 May 2026 You can also be exposed to the virus if you’re bitten or scratched by a rodent, the CDC said, but that’s rare. —Hali Smith may 8, Idaho Statesman, 8 May 2026
There’s also a handsome ninth floor rooftop lounge, Fiat Lux, with adjacent poolside cabanas, for cocktails and tasty bites. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026 Hoist up half of Arthur Grigoryan’s basturma brisket sandwich for a first bite, and stare for a moment into the mouth of the beast. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for bite
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English biten, going back to Old English bītan, going back to Germanic *bītan- (whence Old Saxon bītan "to bite, cut into," Old High German bīzan, Old Norse bíta, Gothic beitan), going back to Indo-European *bhei̯d- "split," whence also Latin findere "to split, cleave, divide" (from a derivative *bhi-n-d-), Sanskrit abhet "has split," bhinátti "(s/he) splits" and perhaps Greek pheídomai, pheídesthai "to spare, save, refrain from"
Noun
derivative of bite entry 1
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of bite was before the 12th century
Browse Nearby Words
Cite this Entry
“Bite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bite. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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