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pun·gent

(pŭnjənt)

adj.

1. Affecting the organs of taste or smell with a sharp acrid sensation.

a. Penetrating, biting, or caustic: pungent satire.

b. To the point; sharp: pungent talks during which the major issues were confronted.

3. Pointed: a pungent leaf.

[Latin pungēns, pungent-, present participle of pungere, to sting; see peuk- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

pungen·cy n.

pungent·ly adv.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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