We are talking about spice in life! How many times have you tasted a dish which is "agreeably pungent or sharp in taste of flavour? A dish which is pleasently biting and spicy? Quite a few times, i'm sure. That was about a piquant (pi-kahnt) dish. In other aspects of life, too , while walking on a street, you see a face which is charming, interesting, stimulating or attractive. A piquant face, with large appealing eyes.
Piquant (pricking, stimulating, irritating) originates from from french piquer "to prick, sting, nettle". Or, it can be co nsidered to be originated from french "PIQUE" (to excite, provoke, in both positive and negative senses) and suffix -ANT (a suffix forming adjectives and nouns from verbs).
Usage:
As piquant to the tongue as salt.
Appealingly provocative: a piquant wit.
Charming, interesting, or attractive: a piquant face.
1 comment:
Dont forget that Piquant also means pungent , tart tasting, stinging also. I.e, it can be used to mean positive as well as negative.
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