Vitriolic means filled with savage bitterness. A vitriolic attack, vitriolic language, vitriolic in tone.
The literal sense is sulphuric acid, which was called oil of vitriol, and the figurative use keeps the idea of something that burns. It belongs to written attacks above all.
1adjectivevitriolicFilled with savage bitterness.
“He posted a vitriolic review of the restaurant after waiting two hours for his food.”
vitriolic is a quality.
From vitriol, an old name for sulphuric acid, from Latin vitrum, glass, from the look of the crystals.
French
vitriolique
English, today
vitriolic
From vitriol + ic; or from French vitriolique (cognate with Italian vetriolico, Portuguese vitriolico, Spanish vitriólico).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA