pungent

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• enPR: pŭnjənt, IPA^(key): /ˈpʌndʒənt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

pungent (comparative more pungent, superlative most pungent)

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

   I accidentally dropped the bottle of ammonia and after few seconds, a very pungent stench could be detected.

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

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

2. Having a strong taste that stings the tongue, said especially of hot (spicy) food, which has a strong and sharp or bitter taste.
3. (figuratively) Stinging; acerbic.

   The critic gave a pungent review.

4. (botany) Having a sharp and stiff point.

Derived terms

• pungence
• pungently

Translations

having a strong odour

• Belarusian: во́стры m (vóstry)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 辛辣 (zh) (xīnlà)

• Dutch: scherp (nl), stekend (nl)
• Finnish: pistävä (fi)
• French: âcre (fr)
• German: stechend (de)

• Greek: δριμύς (el) (drimýs), οξύς (el) (oxýs), αψύς (el) (apsýs)
• Hungarian: szúrós szagú, csípős (hu)
• Irish: borb
• Maori: kanekane
• Russian: е́дкий (ru) (jédkij), о́стрый (ru) (óstryj)
• Spanish: acre (es)
• Swedish: stickande (sv)

having a sharp and stiff point

• Belarusian: во́стры m (vóstry)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 辛辣 (zh) (xīnlà)

• Dutch: scherp (nl)

• Greek: δηκτικός (el) (diktikós), καυστικός (el) (kafstikós)
• Hungarian: éles (hu)
• Russian: е́дкий (ru) (jédkij), о́стрый (ru) (óstryj)
• Spanish: punzante (es)

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Latin

Verb

pungent

1. third-person plural future active indicative of pungō