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Pungent vs Poignant - What's the difference?

pungent | poignant |

As adjectives the difference between pungent and poignant

is that pungent is having a strong odor that stings the nose, said especially of acidic or spicy substances while poignant is sharp-pointed; keen.

pungent

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Having a strong odor that stings the nose, said especially of acidic or spicy substances.
    • The lasagne included plenty of pungent garlic.
  • * 1991 , , Concrete: American Christmas , Dark Horse Books
    • I can almost smell the fir scent… resinous, pungent .
  • Having a strong taste that stings the tongue, said especially of hot (spicy) food, which has a strong and sharp or bitter taste.
  • Stinging; acerbic.
    • The critic gave a pungent review.
  • Having a sharp and stiff point.

    • Derived terms

    * pungence * pungently

    poignant

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete, of a weapon etc) Sharp-pointed; keen.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , VII:
    • His siluer shield, now idle maisterlesse; / His poynant speare, that many made to bleed [...].
  • Incisive; penetrating.
    • His comments were poignant and witty.
  • neat; eloquent; applicable; relevant.
    • A poignant reply will garner more credence than hours of blown smoke.
  • Evoking strong mental sensation, to the point of distress; emotionally moving.
    • Flipping through his high school yearbook evoked many a poignant memory of yesteryear.
  • (figuratively, of a taste or smell) Piquant, pungent.
  • Piercing.
  • (dated, mostly British) Inducing sharp physical pain.

    • Synonyms

    * (evoking strong mental sensation) distressing, moving

    Related terms

    * poignancy

    References

    * OED 2nd edition 1989 * Webster Third New International 1986 ----