pungent

English

Etymology

From Latin pungens (stem pungent-), present participle of pungo (“to sting”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: pŭnjənt, IPA: /pɐnʤənt/, SAMPA: /pVndZ@nt/

• Audio (US)

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Adjective

pungent (comparative more pungent, superlative most pungent)

1. Having a strong odor that stings the nose, said especially of acidic or spicy substances.

   The lasagne included plenty of pungent garlic.

   • 1991, Paul Chadwick, Concrete: American Christmas, Dark Horse Books

     I can almost smell the fir scent… resinous, pungent.

2. Having a sharp and stiff point.

   The critic gave a pungent review.

Derived terms

• pungence
• pungently

Translations

having a strong odour

Dutch: scherp (nl), stekend (nl) Finnish: pistävä (fi) German: stechend (de)

Greek: δριμύς (el) (drimýs) m., έντονος (el) (éntonos) m., οξύς (el) (oksýs) m., αψύς (el) (apsýs) m. Hungarian: szúrós szagú (hu), csípős (hu)

having a sharp and stiff point

Dutch: scherp (nl)

Greek: δηκτικός (el) (diktikós) m., καυστικός (el) (kafstikós) m. Hungarian: éles (hu)

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Latin

Verb

pungent

1. third-person plural future active indicative of pungō