vitriolic

1. (inorganic chemistry, dated) Of or pertaining to vitriol; derived from or resembling vitriol.Examples: "a vitriolic taste"; "No one, who uſes his Senses, can possibly doubt, but there is ſomewhat of a vitriolic Nature found in Mineral Waters: for not only the Taſte, but the Sight confirms it, by their turning inky with Galls, &c."; "Nature, far from being confined to the lapis pyrites, has abundant materials, and a great variety of them, in the bowels of the earth, wherewith to impregnate the waters called chalybeate and vitriolic; and thoſe of various degrees of acidity and ſtypticity, even from the mildeſt, where the acid is ſcarcely ſenſible, to the moſt ſharp and cauſtic of the vitriolic ores above enumerated."Synonyms: vitriolousdated

2. (figuratively) Bitterly scathing, caustic.Examples: "vitriolic criticism"; "You vitriolic, patriotic, slam fight, bright light / Feeling pretty psyched"; "Another consideration is the known transparency of the Matthaean text. Because of the very structure and tone of the attack on the scribes and Pharisees, one cannot discount the possibility that Matthew is also engaged in serious controversies with the religious leadership of his own day. Therefore, consideration should also be given to the rhetoric of ancient Jewish polemic. This would account for the highly vitriolic nature of the condemnation."figuratively