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piquancy

   Also found in: Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.02 sec.
pi·quant  (pknt, -känt, p-känt)
adj.
1. Pleasantly pungent or tart in taste; spicy.
2.
a. Appealingly provocative: a piquant wit.
b. Charming, interesting, or attractive: a piquant face.
3. Archaic Causing hurt feelings; stinging.
[French, from Old French, present participle of piquer, to prick; see pique.]
piquan·cy, piquant·ness n.
piquant·ly adv.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.piquancypiquancy - a tart spicy quality                
piquance, piquantness, tang, tanginess, zest, nip
spicery, spiciness, spice - the property of being seasoned with spice and so highly flavored
2.piquancy - the quality of being agreeably stimulating or mentally exciting
piquance, piquantness
quality - an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone; "the quality of mercy is not strained"--Shakespeare
piquancy
noun
1. spiciness, bite (informal), kick (informal), edge, flavour, spice, relish, zest, tang, sharpness, pungency a little mustard to add piquancy
2. interest, pep, zip (informal), vitality, colour, spirit, excitement, vigour, zing (informal), raciness, pizzazz or pizazz (informal) These facts lent a certain piquancy to the case.
Translations
piquancy [ˈpiːkənsɪ] N → lo fuerte, gusto m fuerte; [of situation] → chispa f, gracia f
piquancy
n → Pikantheit f, → Würze f; (fig) → Pikanterie f
piquancy [ˈpiːkənsɪ] n (of food) → gusto piccante; (of situation) → aspetto intrigante
piquancy [ˈpiːkənsɪ] n (of food) → gusto piccante; (of situation) → aspetto intrigante


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
For, if you reflect a moment, you will see that, while it is easy to choose what virtues we would have our wife possess, it is all but impossible to imagine those faults we would desire in her, which I think most lovers would admit add piquancy to the loved one, that fascinating wayward imperfection which paradoxically makes her perfect.
The Quest of the Golden Girl by le Gallienne, Richard View in context
That sauce was made up of contradictions and sufferings, of agonising inward analysis, and all these pangs and pin-pricks gave a certain piquancy, even a significance to my dissipation--in fact, completely answered the purpose of an appetising sauce.
Notes from the Underground by Dostoyevsky, Fyodor View in context
It was a beautiful, though not precisely regular and somewhat haughty aspect, but with a certain piquancy about the eyes and mouth, which, of all expressions, would have seemed the most impossible to throw over a wooden countenance.
Mosses From An Old Manse and other stories by Hawthorne, Nathaniel View in context
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