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poignant

   Also found in: Legal 0.02 sec.
poign·ant  (poinynt)
adj.
1.
a. Profoundly moving; touching: a poignant memory. See Synonyms at moving.
b. Physically painful: "Keen, poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck downward" (Ambrose Bierce).
c. Keenly distressing to the mind or feelings: poignant anxiety.
2. Piercing; incisive: poignant criticism.
3.
a. Neat, skillful, and to the point: poignant illustrations supplementing the text.
b. Astute and pertinent; relevant: poignant suggestions.
4. Agreeably intense or stimulating: poignant delight.
5. Archaic
a. Sharp or sour to the taste; piquant.
b. Sharp or pungent to the smell.

[Middle English poinaunt, from Old French poignant, present participle of poindre, to prick, from Latin pungere; see peuk- in Indo-European roots.]

poignance, poignan·cy n.
poignant·ly adv.

poignant [ˈpɔɪnjənt -nənt]
adj
1. sharply distressing or painful to the feelings
2. to the point; cutting or piercing poignant wit
3. keen or pertinent in mental appeal a poignant subject
4. pungent in smell
[from Old French, from Latin pungens pricking, from pungere to sting, pierce, grieve]
poignancy , poignance n
poignantly  adv
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.poignantpoignant - arousing affect; "the homecoming of the released hostages was an affecting scene"; "poignant grief cannot endure forever"; "his gratitude was simple and touching"
moving - arousing or capable of arousing deep emotion; "she laid her case of destitution before him in a very moving letter"- N. Hawthorne
2.poignant - keenly distressing to the mind or feelings; "poignant anxiety"
painful - causing physical or psychological pain; "worked with painful slowness"

poignant
Translations
poignant [ˈpɔɪnjənt] ADJconmovedor, patético
poignant [ˈpɔɪnjənt] adj (= very touching) → poignant(e)
poignant
adjergreifend; memories, lookwehmütig; distress, regretschmerzlich
poignant [ˈpɔɪnjənt] adjcommovente, toccante
poignant [ˈpɔɪnjənt] adjcommovente, toccante


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Everything she looked at, everything she remembered or thought of, became laden with poignant memory.
That might very easily be, for there is seldom anything more poignant in any one of them than there is in the average course of things.
With feelings so poignant as mine, the conviction of having divided the son from his parents would make me, even with you, the most miserable of beings.
 
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