Pungent

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈpʌnd͡ʒənt/

Definitions

1. Having a sharp, strong smell or taste that is often intense and penetrating
2. Having a sharp and acrid quality in smell or taste that strongly affects the senses
3. Characterized by a piercing, intense aroma or flavor that is distinctly noticeable and often irritating

Etymology: The adjective "pungent" is a direct borrowing of Latin "pungens," the present participle of "pungo," meaning "to sting" or "to prick." The original sense was physical: something that pricks or stabs. English took the word on for things that bite the senses, and the sharp smell that now defines it came to the fore from there. Its twin is "poignant," which also descends from "pungens" but reached English through French, which is why the two look so different today. Both kept the idea of a sharp, piercing quality, but one moved toward the nose and the other toward the emotions. "Poignant" came to describe feelings that cut deeply, while "pungent" stayed with taste and smell.

Synonyms: sharp, spicy, acrid, strong, intense

Antonyms: bland, mild, tasteless, insipid, dull