pungent

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• enPR: pŭnjənt, IPA: /ˈpʌndʒənt/, X-SAMPA: /pVndZ@nt/

• 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.

   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 strong taste that stings the tongue, said especially of hot (spicy) food, which has a strong and sharp or bitter taste.
3. Having a sharp and stiff point.

   The critic gave a pungent review.

Derived terms

• pungence
• pungently

Translations

having a strong odour

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 辛辣 (cmn) (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 (hu), csípős (hu)
• Russian: едкий (ru) (jédkij), острый (ru) (óstryj)
• Spanish: acre (es)
• Swedish: stickande (sv)

having a sharp and stiff point

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 辛辣 (cmn) (xīnlà)

• Dutch: scherp (nl)
• Greek: δηκτικός (el) (diktikós), καυστικός (el) (kafstikós)

• Hungarian: éles (hu)
• Russian: едкий (ru) (jédkij), острый (ru) (óstryj)
• Spanish: punzante (es)

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Latin

Verb

pungent

1. third-person plural future active indicative of pungō