Definitions for poignant
ˈpɔɪn yənt, ˈpɔɪ nəntpoignant

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. affecting, poignant, touchingadjective

   arousing affect

   "the homecoming of the released hostages was an affecting scene"; "poignant grief cannot endure forever"; "his gratitude was simple and touching"

2. poignantadjective

   keenly distressing to the mind or feelings

   "poignant anxiety"

WiktionaryRate this definition:4.5 / 2 votes

1. poignantadjective

   Sharp-pointed; keen.

2. poignantadjective

   Incisive; penetrating.

   His comments were poignant and witty.

3. poignantadjective

   neat; eloquent; applicable; relevant.

   A poignant reply will garner more credence than hours of blown smoke.

4. poignantadjective

   Evoking strong mental sensation, to the point of distress; emotionally moving.

   Flipping through his high school yearbook evoked many a poignant memory of yesteryear.

5. poignantadjective

   Piquant, pungent.

6. poignantadjective

   Piercing.

7. poignantadjective

   Inducing sharp physical pain.

8. Etymology: From poynaunt, puignant et al., poignant, present participle of poindre, from pungo.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. POIGNANTadjective

   Etymology: poignant, Fr.

   1. Sharp; stimulating the palate.

   No poignant sauce she knew, nor costly treat,
   Her hunger gave a relish to her meat. Dryden.

   The studious man, whose will was never determined to poignant sauces and delicious wine, is, by hunger and thirst, determined to eating and drinking. John Locke.

   2. Severe; piercing; painful.

   If God makes use of some poignant disgrace to let out the poisonous vapour, is not the mercy greater than the severity of the cure? Robert South, Sermons.

   Full three long hours his tender body did sustain
   Most exquisite and poignant pain. John Norris, Miscel.

   3. Irritating; satirical; keen.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. poignant

   Poignant is an adjective used to describe something that evokes a strong emotion, typically of sadness, empathy, or sympathy. It usually refers to something deeply moving, touching, or thought-provoking in a way that lingers in one's emotions or memory.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Poignantadjective

   pricking; piercing; sharp; pungent

2. Poignantadjective

   fig.: Pointed; keen; satirical

3. Etymology: [F., p. pr. of poindre to sting, fr. L. pungere to prick, sting. See Pungent.]

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Poignant

   poin′ant, adj. stinging, pricking: sharp: penetrating: acutely painful: satirical: pungent.—n. Poign′ancy, state of being poignant.—adv. Poign′antly. [O. Fr. poignant, poindre—L. pungĕre, to sting.]

How to pronounce poignant?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say poignant in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of poignant in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of poignant in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of poignant in a Sentence

1. Ian Ziering:

   We actually got a chance to rehearse our scenes together and have some great poignant moments, when you meet Gilbert Shepard you understand what makes Fin tick. It's kind of nice. It's very grounded and it's wonderful character development, because you can't always be slicing through sharks. You've got to ground it in a humanity. This movie does it very nicely with Fin Shepard and his family.

2. Logan Pearsall Smith:

   There are few sorrows, however poignant, in which a good income is of no avail.

3. Sybil Adelman:

   Most of you have been where I am tonight. The crash site of unrequited love. You ask yourself, How did I get here What was it about Was it her smile Was it the way she crossed her legs, the turn of her ankle, the poignant vulnerability of her slender wrists What are these elusive and ephemeral things that ignite passion in the human heart That's an age-old question. It's perfect food for thought on a bright midsummer's night.

4. Michael Enright:

   After I saw the cowardly way James Foley was killed, I knew I had to do something, and what was most poignant for me.

5. Jim Morekis:

   “From Conrad Aiken to Flannery O’Connor to Midnight, Savannah has always been a literary town. But certainly one of her most consistently excellent—and consistently underrated—writers is the man known as Aberjhani. Known for his nationally published short stories and poetry Aberjhani has received critical acclaim for his ability to encapsulate the Southern black experience in a sensitive and poignant way that’s accessible to readers of any race or region.” --from All That Jazz

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