bile
n. uncountablen. a bitter, yellow-green liquid made by the liver to help you digest fats. It can also mean a feeling of strong anger or bitterness toward someone.
n. a bitter alkaline fluid secreted by the liver that aids in the emulsification and absorption of dietary fats. In a figurative sense, refers to deep-seated anger, bitterness, or irritability.
The body produces bile to help digest food.
The liver stores bile in the gallbladder until it is needed to break down fats during digestion.
The editorial was filled with such concentrated bile that readers were left wondering what personal grievance the author held against the local council.
Mid 16th century, via Middle French, from Latin bīlis (“bile”). Largely displaced Old English ġealla, whence the modern synonym gall.
Obsolete form of boil. Akin to Dutch buil and German Beule, all from Proto-Germanic *būlǭ.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Uncountable in both its physiological and figurative senses.
Last updated May 7, 2026