mordant

¹mor·dant

adj \ˈmȯr-d^ənt\

Definition of MORDANT

1

: biting and caustic in thought, manner, or style : incisive <a mordant wit>

2

: acting as a mordant

3

: burning, pungent

— mor·dant·ly adverb

Examples of MORDANT

1. a writer famous for her mordant humor
2. <a mordant review of the movie that compared it to having one's teeth pulled for two hours>

Origin of MORDANT

Middle French, present participle of mordre to bite, from Latin mordēre; perhaps akin to Sanskrit mṛdnāti he presses, rubs

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to MORDANT

Synonyms: acerb, acerbic, acid, acidic, acidulous, acrid, barbed, biting, caustic, corrosive, cutting, sarcastic, pungent, sardonic, satiric (or satirical), scalding, scathing, sharp, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, smart-mouthed, snarky, tart

Related Words: brisk, cross, sharp-tongued, sour, sourish, spiky (also spikey), tartish; incisive, keen, poignant, trenchant; cynical, dry, ironic (also ironical), wry; facetious, flippant, tongue-in-cheek; acrimonious, bitter, resentful, vitriolic; harsh, rough, severe, stringent; abrupt, blunt, brusque (also brusk), concise, crisp, curt, gruff, pithy, snippety, snippy, succinct, terse; backhanded, insincere

Near Antonyms: amusing, droll, merry, playful, sportive, waggish; gentle, mild; bland; good-humored, good-natured; diplomatic, polite, smooth, suave, urbane; affable, cordial, genial, gracious, hospitable, sociable

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See Synonym Discussion at caustic

Rhymes with MORDANT

mordent