Poignant

How to spell poignant

8 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce poignant

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does poignant mean?

1. adjectiveEvoking a keen sense of sadness, regret, or emotional sharpness.

Poignant in a sentence

• The photograph of her late mother was a poignant reminder of happier years.

• The film ended on a poignant scene that left the audience in tears.

Where does poignant come from?

Language of origin: French

This word came into English in the late 1300s from Old French poignant, the present participle of the verb poindre, meaning 'to prick' or 'to sting'. That French verb descended directly from the Latin pungere, which literally meant 'to prick, pierce or puncture', so the original sense was something sharp that physically pricked the senses, such as a biting taste or a stabbing pain. Over time the meaning softened from a literal sting to an emotional one, describing anything that pierces the feelings and moves us deeply. The very same Latin root pungere sits inside the everyday relatives 'pungent', 'puncture' and 'point', all of which keep the idea of a sharp prick. The silent g in the middle is a fossil of that French spelling, and it is exactly the letter that trips writers up, since the word is pronounced as if it read 'poynant'.

How the word is built

• poign- (from Latin pungere: to prick or sting)
• -ant (adjective suffix, from a French present participle)