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poignant

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poign⋅ant

  [poin-yuhnt, poi-nuhnt]
Use poignant in a Sentence
–adjective
1. keenly distressing to the feelings: poignant regret.
2. keen or strong in mental appeal: a subject of poignant interest.
3. affecting or moving the emotions: a poignant scene.
4. pungent to the smell: poignant cooking odors.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME poynaunt < MF poignant, prp. of poindre < L pungere to prick, pierce. See pungent, -ant

Related forms:
poign⋅ant⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. intense, sincere, heartfelt. 4. piquant, sharp.

Antonyms:
1, 2. mild.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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poign·ant   (poin'yənt)   
adj.  

    1. Profoundly moving; touching: a poignant memory. See Synonyms at moving.

    2. Physically painful: "Keen, poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck downward" (Ambrose Bierce).

    3. Keenly distressing to the mind or feelings: poignant anxiety.

    4. Neat, skillful, and to the point: poignant illustrations supplementing the text.

    5. Astute and pertinent; relevant: poignant suggestions.

    6. Sharp or sour to the taste; piquant.

    7. Sharp or pungent to the smell.

  2. Piercing; incisive: poignant criticism.

    1. Neat, skillful, and to the point: poignant illustrations supplementing the text.

    2. Astute and pertinent; relevant: poignant suggestions.

    3. Sharp or sour to the taste; piquant.

    4. Sharp or pungent to the smell.

  4. Agreeably intense or stimulating: poignant delight.

  5. Archaic

    1. Sharp or sour to the taste; piquant.

    2. Sharp or pungent to the smell.


[Middle English poinaunt, from Old French poignant, present participle of poindre, to prick, from Latin pungere; see peuk- in Indo-European roots.]
poign'ance, poign'an·cy n., poign'ant·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

poignant 
c.1386, "painful to physical or mental feeling," from O.Fr. poignant (13c.), prp. of poindre "to prick, sting," from L. pungere "to prick" (see pungent).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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