piquant

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: pi=quant

CIDE DICTIONARY

piquant, a. [F., p. pr. of piquer to prick or sting. See Pike.].

 Stimulating to the taste; giving zest; tart; sharp; pungent; as, a piquant anecdote.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

piquant, adj.
1 agreeably pungent, sharp, or appetizing.
2 pleasantly stimulating, or disquieting, to the mind.

Derivative

piquancy n. piquantly adv.

Etymology

F, pres. part. of piquer (as PIQUE(1))

THESAURUS

piquant

acerbic, acid, acrid, agitating, alluring, appealing, appetizing, asperous, astringent, attractive, beguiling, bewitching, biting, bitter, blandishing, breathtaking, cajoling, captivating, catching, caustic, challenging, charged, charismatic, charming, cliff-hanging, coaxing, come-hither, coquettish, cutting, disquieting, distracting, disturbing, electric, enchanting, encouraging, energizing, engaging, enravishing, enthralling, enticing, entrancing, escharotic, exciting, exhilarating, exotic, fascinating, fetching, flirtatious, galvanic, galvanizing, glamorous, harsh, heady, heart-expanding, heart-stirring, heart-swelling, heart-thrilling, hypnotic, impressive, inflammatory, interesting, intoxicating, intriguing, inviting, irresistible, irritating, jarring, jolting, juicy, keen, lively, maddening, mesmeric, mind-blowing, mordant, mouth-watering, moving, nose-tickling, overcoming, overmastering, overpowering, overwhelming, penetrating, peppery, peppy, perturbing, piercing, poignant, prepossessing, prompting, provocative, provoking, provoquant, pungent, racy, ravishing, readable, rich, rough, rousing, seducing, seductive, severe, sharp, siren, sirenic, snappy, soul-stirring, sour, sparkling, spellbinding, spellful, spicy, spirit-stirring, spirited, stimulant, stimulating, stimulative, stinging, stirring, striking, succulent, suspenseful, suspensive, taking, tantalizing, teasing, telling, tempting, thought-challenging, thought-inspiring, thought-provoking, thrilling, thrilly, tickling, titillating, titillative, trenchant, troubling, unsettling, upsetting, vitriolic, vivacious, winning, winsome, witching, zesty

ROGET THESAURUS

piquant

Vigor

N vigor, power, force, boldness, raciness, intellectual, force, spirit, point, antithesis, piquance, piquancy, verve, glow, fire, warmth, strong language, gravity, sententiousness, elevation, loftiness, sublimity, eloquence, command of words, command of language, vigorous, nervous, powerful, forcible, trenchant, incisive, impressive, sensational, spirited, lively, glowing, sparkling, racy, bold, slashing, pungent, piquant, full of point, pointed, pithy, antithetical, sententious, lofty, elevated, sublime, eloquent, vehement, petulant, impassioned, poetic, in glowing terms, in good set terms, in no measured terms, thoughts that breath and words that burn.

Feeling

N feeling, suffering, endurance, tolerance, sufferance, supportance, experience, response, sympathy, impression, inspiration, affection, sensation, emotion, pathos, deep sense, warmth, glow, unction, gusto, vehemence, fervor, fervency, heartiness, cordiality, earnestness, eagerness, empressement, gush, ardor, zeal, passion, enthusiasm, verve, furore, fanaticism, excitation of feeling, fullness of the heart, passion, ecstasy, blush, suffusion, flush, hectic, tingling, thrill, turn, shock, agitation, quiver, heaving, flutter, flurry, fluster, twitter, tremor, throb, throbbing, pulsation, palpitation, panting, trepidation, perturbation, ruffle, hurry of spirits, pother, stew, ferment, state of excitement, feeling, sentient, sensuous, sensorial, sensory, emotive, emotional, of feeling, with feeling, warm, quick, lively, smart, strong, sharp, acute, cutting, piercing, incisive, keen, keen as a razor, trenchant, pungent, racy, piquant, poignant, caustic, impressive, deep, profound, indelible, deep felt, home felt, heartfelt, swelling, soul-stirring, deep-mouthed, heart-expanding, electric, thrilling, rapturous, ecstatic, earnest, wistful, eager, breathless, fervent, fervid, gushing, passionate, warm-hearted, hearty, cordial, sincere, zealous, enthusiastic, glowing, ardent, burning, red-hot, fiery, flaming, boiling over, pervading, penetrating, absorbing, rabid, raving, feverish, fanatical, hysterical, impetuous, impressed with, moved with, touched with, affected with, penetrated with, seized with, imbued with, devoured by, wrought up, struck all of a heap, rapt, in a quiver, enraptured, heart and soul, from the bottom of one's heart, ab imo pectore, at heart, con amore, heartily, devoutly, over head and ears, head over heels, the heart big, the heart full, the heart swelling, the heart beating, the heart pulsating, the heart throbbing, the heart thumping, the heart beating high, the heart melting, the heart overflowing, the heart bursting, the heart breaking, the heart goes out, a heart as big as all outdoors (sympathy).

Excitation

N excitation of feeling, mental excitement, suscitation, galvanism, stimulation, piquance, piquancy, provocation, inspiration, calling forth, infection, animation, agitation, perturbation, subjugation, fascination, intoxication, enravishment, entrancement, pressure, tension, high pressure, unction, impressiveness, trail of temper, casus belli, irritation, passion, thrill, repression of feeling, sensationalism, yellow journalism, excited, wrought up, up the qui vive, astir, sparkling, in a quiver, in a fever, in a ferment, in a blaze, in a state of excitement, in hysterics, black in the face, overwrought, tense, taught, on a razor's edge, hot, red-hot, flushed, feverish, all of a twitter, in a pucker, with quivering lips, with tears in one's eyes, flaming, boiling over, ebullient, seething, foaming at the mouth, fuming, raging, carried away by passion, wild, raving, frantic, mad, distracted, beside oneself, out of one's wits, ready to burst, bouleverse, demoniacal, lost, eperdu, tempest-tossed, haggard, ready to sink, stung to the quick, up, on one's high ropes, exciting, absorbing, riveting, distracting, impressive, warm, glowing, fervid, swelling, imposing, spirit-stirring, thrilling, high-wrought, soul-stirring, soul-subduing, heart-stirring, heart- swelling, heart-thrilling, agonizing, telling, sensational, hysterical, overpowering, overwhelming, more than flesh and blood can bear, yellow, piquant, spicy, appetizing, provocative, provoquant, tantalizing, eager to go, anxious to go, chafing at the bit, till one is black in the face, the heart beating high, the heart going pitapat, the heart leaping into one's mouth, the blood being up, the blood boiling in one's veins, the eye glistening, the eyes in a fine frenzy rolling, the head turned, when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Pungency

N pungency, piquance, piquancy, poignancy haut-gout, strong taste, twang, race, sharpness, acrimony, roughness, unsavoriness, mustard, cayenne, caviare, seasoning, niter, saltpeter, brine (saltiness), carbonate of ammonia, sal ammoniac, sal volatile, smelling salts, hartshorn (acridity), dram, cordial, nip, nicotine, tobacco, snuff, quid, smoke, segar, cigar, cigarette, weed, fragrant weed, Indian weed, Cavendish, fid, negro head, old soldier, rappee, stogy, pungent, strong, high-, full-flavored, high-tasted, high-seasoned, gamy, sharp, stinging, rough, piquant, racy, biting, mordant, spicy, seasoned, hot, hot as pepper, peppery, vellicating, escharotic, meracious, acrid, acrimonious, bitter, rough, unsavory.