trenchant

English

Alternative forms

• trenchaunt (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈtrɛnʃənt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Etymology

From Old French, from the present participle of trenchier, "to cut."

Adjective

trenchant (comparative more trenchant, superlative most trenchant)

1. (obsolete) Fitted to trench or cut; gutting; sharp.
   • 1663, Hudibras, by Samuel Butler, part 1, canto 1

     The trenchant blade, Toledo trusty, \ For want of fighting was grown rusty, \And ate into itself, for lack \ Of somebody to hew and hack.

2. (figuratively) Keen; biting; vigorously effective and articulate; severe; as, trenchant wit.
   • 1899, Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness, section 1

     His eyes, of the usual blue, were perhaps remarkably cold, and he certainly could make his glance fall on one as trenchant and heavy as an axe.

Translations

sharp

• Finnish: pureva (fi), terävä (fi)
• French: tranchant (fr)

• Ido: tranchiva, tranchema
• Russian: острый (ru) (óstryj) m
• Swedish: skarp (sv)

biting, severe

• Finnish: pureva (fi), terävä (fi)
• German: treffsicher, prägnant, beißend, pointiert

• Hebrew: חריף (he) (kharíf), שנון (he) (shanún)
• Russian: колкий (ru) (kólkij) m
• Swedish: bitande (kritik); kraftfull

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Old French

Adjective

trenchant m and f (plural trenchanz)

1. sharp; razor sharp

Declension

  Declension of trenchant  

Number	Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Singular	Subject	trenchanz	trenchant	trenchant
	Oblique	trenchant	trenchant	trenchant
Plural	Subject	trenchant	trenchanz	trenchant
	Oblique	trenchanz	trenchanz	trenchant

Verb

trenchant

1. Present participle of trenchier.