Lawman Johnson Tracy Kidder
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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.
Synonyms
Examples of piquant in a Sentence
Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2025
Even a humble staple like queso is elevated with smokey undertones, a version so good that it can easily be eaten by the spoonful, alternating with the addictively piquant salsa verde that comes to the table with warm tortilla chips.
—Claudia Alarcón, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
The crustaceans produce a piquant aroma while the red vegetable adds a layer of acidity and hint of sourness to the soup.
—Christina Liao, Vogue, 27 Dec. 2024
The Right Word is not so much to be consulted as to be read and savored by those who remember the early days of NR and the piquant personality behind it.
—William Voegeli, National Review, 19 Dec. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near piquant
Cite this Entry
“Piquant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/piquant. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
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