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piquant

adjective
pi·​quant | \ ˈpē-kənt How to pronounce piquant (audio) , -ˌkänt; ˈpi-kwənt How to pronounce piquant (audio) \

Definition of piquant

1 : engagingly provocative also : having a lively arch charm
2 : agreeably stimulating to the taste especially : spicy
Other Words from piquant Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about piquant

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Other Words from piquant

piquantly adverb
piquantness noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for piquant

Synonyms

pert, poignant, pungent, salty, savory (also savoury), zesty, zingy

Antonyms

insipid, zestless

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Choose the Right Synonym for piquant

pungent, piquant, poignant, racy mean sharp and stimulating to the mind or the senses. pungent implies a sharp, stinging, or biting quality especially of odors. a cheese with a pungent odor piquant suggests a power to whet the appetite or interest through tartness or mild pungency. a piquant sauce poignant suggests something is sharply or piercingly effective in stirring one's emotions. felt a poignant sense of loss racy implies having a strongly characteristic natural quality fresh and unimpaired. spontaneous, racy prose

Did You Know?

Piquant flavors "sting" the tongue and piquant words "prick" the intellect, arousing interest. These varying senses reflect the etymology of the word piquant, which first appeared in English in the 17th century and which derives from the Middle French verb piquer, meaning "to sting" or "to prick." Though first used to describe foods with spicy flavors, the word is now often used to describe things that are spicy in other ways, such as engaging conversation. Have we piqued your curiosity about another piquer offspring? If you’ve already guessed that the verb pique, meaning "to offend" or "to arouse by provocation," comes from piquer, too, you’ve got a sharp mind.

Examples of piquant in a Sentence

piquant vegetables seasoned with pepper He served the fish with a piquant sauce.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 As Undine’s flaky brother, who is writing an epic poem about Br’er Rabbit and oppression, Kevin E. Thorne II gets to unleash some piquant roller-coaster rants; unfortunately, the words in one thematically important spiel are hard to make out. — Celia Wren, Washington Post, "Lynn Nottage’s comic ‘Fabulation’ maps a slide down the social ladder," 28 Aug. 2019 Nearly everything was excellent (creamy jalapeño corn; juicy, piquant Sinaloa chicken; fall-off-the-bone American barbecue-style ribs; tender New York strip steak and a trio of creamy puddings for dessert). — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Review: A love affair with Michael Mina’s cooking heats up with International Smoke," 22 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'piquant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of piquant

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for piquant

Middle French, from present participle of piquer

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More Definitions for piquant

piquant

adjective
How to pronounce piquant (audio) How to pronounce piquant (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of piquant

formal
: having a pleasant, spicy taste
: interesting and exciting

See the full definition for piquant in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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More from Merriam-Webster on piquant

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with piquant

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for piquant

Spanish Central: Translation of piquant

Nglish: Translation of piquant for Spanish Speakers

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