Where does “poignant” come from?

poignant (French) comes from Old French poignant, from Latin pungēns, from Latin pungō, from Proto-Italic pungō, from Proto-Indo-European pewǵ- — to punch, fist-fight; to prick, poke, stab.

poignant (French): present participle of poindre; present participle...

Definitions

  1. present participle of poindre; present participle...

Ancestry of “poignant”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchpoignantpresent participle of poindre; pointed; pointy
2Latinpungēnspricking, puncturing, stinging
3Latinpungōto prick; to puncture; to sting
4Proto-Italicpungōto prick, to sting
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpewǵ-to punch, fist-fight; to prick, poke, stab

Words derived from “poignant”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pewǵ- →Every word from Proto-Italic pungō →Every word from Latin pungō →