piquant

adjective pi·quant \ ˈpē-kənt , -ˌkänt ; ˈpi-kwənt \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of piquant

1 : engagingly provocative; also : having a lively arch charm

2 : agreeably stimulating to the taste; especially : spicy

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piquantly

adverb

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piquantness

noun

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Examples of piquant in a Sentence

piquant vegetables seasoned with pepper
He served the fish with a piquant sauce.
a piquant bit of gossip

Recent Examples of piquant from the Web

Sorrell led her instrumentalists with vigor and a fine ear for Monteverdi's piquant musical textures, and the chorus, in simple costumes reminiscent of Greek pastoral garb, was pitch-perfect.

— special to the plain dealer, cleveland.com, "Apollo's Fire ascends with affecting production of 'L'Orfeo' (review)," 16 Apr. 2018
Her character is a conscience-free, homicidal opportunist who steals the ID off a doomed crewman during the alien attack and henceforth becomes Dr. Z. Smith, psychologist, a character to whom the actress applies a piquant touch of pure insanity.

— john anderson, WSJ, "‘Lost in Space’ Review: Re-entering the TV Atmosphere," 12 Apr. 2018
From the fertile plains of coastal Venezie to the alpine peaks of Alto Adige, the zone is best known to Americans for its refreshing pinot grigios and piquant proseccos.

— marnie old, Philly.com, "Great Wine Values: Mezzacorona 'Cliffhanger' red blend," 29 Jan. 2018
Make this piquant lunchtime dish with items right from your pantry: marinara sauce, chili seasoning, chipotle peppers and bread crumbs.

— Country Living, "Turkey Chili Burgers with Spiced Ketchup," 4 Apr. 2011
The piquant Madame Helene Bouilloux-Lafont served as directrice, helping to raise the necessary funds, and Bettina joined the small team, acting as muse, mannequin, and vendeuse of his house when the establishment opened on February 2, 1952.

— hamish bowles, Vogue, "Vogue’s Hamish Bowles Remembers the French Couturier Hubert de Givenchy," 12 Mar. 2018
Memling’s precise delineation, incorporation of landscape backgrounds, piquant detail, and glowing color in oil glazes became aspects of Wood’s style.

— steven strogatz, The New Yorker, "Beyond “American Gothic”," 5 Mar. 2018
On a spicier note, diners will also find bun bo Hue, a piquant, meaty soup that hails from the coast of central Vietnam.

— james patrick kelly, idahostatesman, "New Boise pho shop sticks to traditional preparations," 8 Feb. 2018
The quirky rhythms, piquant dissonances and angular melodies that distinguish so many of Monk’s compositions render them unlike anyone else’s and, therefore, ever fresh.

— howard reich, chicagotribune.com, "MONK'estra shows why Monk's music thrives," 27 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'piquant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Piquant flavors "sting" the tongue and piquant words "prick" the intellect, arousing interest. These varying senses reflect the etymology of the word piquant, which first appeared in English in the 17th century and which derives from the Middle French verb piquer, meaning "to sting" or "to prick." Though first used to describe foods with spicy flavors, the word is now often used to describe things that are spicy in other ways, such as engaging conversation. Have we piqued your curiosity about another piquer offspring? If you’ve already guessed that the verb pique, meaning "to offend" or "to arouse by provocation," comes from piquer, too, you’ve got a sharp mind.

Origin and Etymology of piquant

Middle French, from present participle of piquer

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1616

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piquant Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of piquant

pungent, piquant, poignant, racy mean sharp and stimulating to the mind or the senses. pungent implies a sharp, stinging, or biting quality especially of odors.