c. 1300, present-participle adjective from bite (v.). Sense of "severe, sharp, painful" is from mid-14c.; that of "sarcastic, painful to the mind or feelings" is from late 14c. Related: Bitingly.
a biting aphorism
a biting wind
bitching
bitchy
bite
biter
bitheism
biting
bitmap
bitsy
bitt
bitten
bitter