different between poignant vs ardent

English

Etymology

From Middle English poynaunt, poynant, borrowed from Anglo-Norman puignant, poynaunt etc., present participle of poindre (“to prick”), from Latin pung? (“prick”).

Pronunciation

• (General American, Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p??n.j?nt/, /?p???.?nt/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /?p??.n?nt/
• Hyphenation: poign?ant (per American Heritage and Random House); poi?gnant (per Merriam-Webster)

Adjective

poignant (comparative more poignant, superlative most poignant)

1. (obsolete, of a weapon, etc.) Sharp-pointed; keen.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, VII:

     His siluer shield, now idle maisterlesse; / His poynant speare, that many made to bleed [...].

2. Neat; eloquent; applicable; relevant.

3. Evoking strong mental sensation, to the point of distress; emotionally moving.

   Synonyms: distressing, moving
4. (figuratively, of a smell, taste) Piquant, pungent.
5. (figuratively, of a look, word) Incisive; penetrating; piercing.

6. (chiefly Britain, dated) Inducing sharp physical pain.

Related terms

• poignancy
• poignantly

Translations

References

• OED 2nd edition 1989
• Webster Third New International 1986

Anagrams

• Paignton

French

Etymology

From Old French poignant, present participle of poindre. Possibly corresponds to Latin pung?ns, pungentem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pwa.???/

Verb

poignant

1. present participle of poindre
2. present participle of poigner

Adjective

poignant (feminine singular poignante, masculine plural poignants, feminine plural poignantes)

1. poignant

References

Further reading

• “poignant” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Old French

Etymology

Present participle of poindre. Possibly corresponds to Latin pung?ns, pungentem.

Verb

poignant

1. present participle of poindre

Adjective

poignant m (oblique and nominative feminine singular poignant or poignante)

1. pointed; pointy

Descendants

• ? English: poignant
• French: poignant

English

Etymology

First attested circa 14th century as Middle English ardaunt, borrowed from Anglo-Norman ardent and Old French ardant, from Latin ardentem, accusative of ard?ns, present participle of arde? (“I burn”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???d?nt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /???d?nt/
• Hyphenation: ar?dent

Adjective

ardent (comparative more ardent, superlative most ardent)

1. Full of ardor; fervent, passionate.
   • 1956 — Arthur C. Clarke, The City and the Stars, p 43

     This ardent exploration, absorbing all his energy and interest, made him forget for the moment the mystery of his heritage and the anomaly that cut him off from all his fellows.
2. Burning; glowing; shining.

Related terms

Translations

Anagrams

• Arendt, Darent, daren't, endart, ranted, red ant

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin ard?ns.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /???dent/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /?r?den/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /a??dent/

Adjective

ardent (masculine and feminine plural ardents)

1. burning, ablaze
2. ardent, passionate

Derived terms

• ardentment

Related terms

• ardor

Further reading

• “ardent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

French

Etymology

From Old French ardent, borrowed from Latin ard?ns, ard?ntem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a?.d??/

Adjective

ardent (feminine singular ardente, masculine plural ardents, feminine plural ardentes)

1. fiery, burning; ablaze; aflame
2. fervent; passionate

Derived terms

Related terms

• ardre (verb)
• ardeur

Further reading

• “ardent” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Latin

Verb

ardent

1. third-person plural present active indicative of arde?

Old French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ardens, ardentem.

Adjective

ardent m (oblique and nominative feminine singular ardent or ardente)

1. burning; aflame; on fire

Related terms

• ardoir, ardre
• ardur

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French ardent, Latin ardens, ardentem.

Adjective

ardent m or n (feminine singular ardent?, masculine plural arden?i, feminine and neuter plural ardente)

1. (rare, literary) ardent, fiery, passionate
2. (of ships) that which, through the action of the wind, turns its prow toward the direction from where wind is blowing

Declension

Synonyms

• (ardent, fiery, passionate): înfocat, înfl?c?rat, pasionat, aprins, avântat

Related terms

• arde
• ardoare
• arz?tor