- of or relating to bile
- affected with or denoting any disorder related to excess secretion of bile
- informal bad-tempered; irritable
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
bil•ious /ˈbɪlyəs/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Pathology, Physiologyof or relating to bile.
- sick;
ill;
upset in the stomach:feeling bilious after drinking all night. - peevish;
irritable;
cranky:the bilious old man next door.
bil•ious
(bil′yəs),USA pronunciation adj.
bil′ious•ly, adv.
bil′ious•ness, n.
- Pathology, Physiology[Physiol., Pathol.]pertaining to bile or to an excess secretion of bile.
- Pathologysuffering from, caused by, or attended by trouble with the bile or liver.
- peevish;
irritable;
cranky. - extremely unpleasant or distasteful:a long scarf of bright, bilious green.
- Latin bīliōsus. See bile, -ous
- 1535–45
bil′ious•ness, n.
- 3. grumpy, crabby, cross, grouchy, dyspeptic.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
bilious /ˈbɪlɪəs/ adj
'bilious' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):