mordancy

noun

mor·​dan·​cy ˈmȯr-dᵊn(t)-sē How to pronounce mordancy (audio)
1
: a biting and caustic quality of style : incisiveness
2
: a sharply critical or bitter quality of thought or feeling : harshness

Examples of mordancy in a Sentence

the surprising mordancy with which the two physicians contested each other's claim to having discovered an effective vaccine for polio
Recent Examples on the Web But Lloyd’s version brims with mordancy. Sarah Weinman, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2023 The gray-tint, cross-hatched drawings evoke George Cruikshank and Samuel Palmer, but the mordancy is vintage Sendak. The Week Staff, The Week, 17 Oct. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mordancy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mordancy was circa 1656

Dictionary Entries Near mordancy

Cite this Entry

“Mordancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mordancy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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