Added 8 October 2026
pungent
/ˈpʌnd͡ʒənt/ adjective
Latin root: pungens Wiktionary
adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about pungent at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
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.
- Having a strong taste that stings the tongue; said especially of hot (spicy) food, which has a strong and sharp or bitter taste.
-
Stinging; acerbic.
The critic gave a pungent review.
Origin
Borrowed from Latin pungens (stem pungent-), present participle of pungo (“to sting”). Doublet of poignant.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)