Where does “poignant” come from?
poignant (Old French) comes from Latin pungēns, from Latin pungō, from Proto-Italic pungō, from Proto-Indo-European pewǵ- — to punch, fist-fight; to prick, poke, stab.
poignant (Old French): present participle of poindre; pointed; pointy
Definitions
- present participle of poindre; pointed; pointy
Ancestry of “poignant”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | pungēns | — |
| 2 | Latin | pungō | — |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | pungō | to prick, to sting |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | pewǵ- | to punch, fist-fight; to prick, poke, stab |
Words derived from “poignant”