mordicant

English

Etymology

From Latin mordicans, p.pr. of mordicare (“to bite”), from mordere. Compare French mordicant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɔː(ɹ)dɪkənt/

Adjective

mordicant (comparative more mordicant, superlative most mordicant)

1. (obsolete) biting; acrid (normally talking about pain)
   • 1661, Robert Boyle, “(please specify the page)”, in The Sceptical Chymist: or Chymico-physical Doubts & Paradoxes, […], London: […] J. Cadwell for J. Crooke, […], →OCLC:

     the mordicant quality of Bodies must proceed from a fiery ingredient

Derived terms

• mordicancy

References

• “mordicant”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

French

Adjective

mordicant (feminine mordicante, masculine plural mordicants, feminine plural mordicantes)

1. (archaic) mordicant; biting

Further reading

• “mordicant”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.