Definitions for poignant
ˈpɔɪn yənt, ˈpɔɪ nəntpoignant

Princeton's WordNet(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

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"

Wiktionary(4.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

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 Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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 Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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. Constantin Stanislavski:

   Success is transient, evanescent. The real passion lies in the poignant acquisition of knowledge about all the shading and subtleties of the creative secrets.

2. Tom Grilk:

   We start there, every time. Including last year, what happened in 2013 was the closest and perhaps most poignant part of our history, but part of the history. The history going forward would be written by the people who come and run and watch and participate in all the ways that people do.

3. Henry M. Wriston:

   Among all the tragic consequences of depression and war, this suppression of personal self-expression through one's life work is among the most poignant.

4. Prince Edward:

   It was an experience that so many other families have had to go through during this past year or 18 months and so in that sense, it was particularly poignant, there are an awful lot of people who haven't been able to express the respect that they would like to have done. I think many people would have liked to have been there to support The Queen.

5. Michael Enright:

   And what was most poignant for me.

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