different between trenchant vs piercing

English

Alternative forms

• trenchaunt (obsolete)

Etymology

Borrowed into Middle English from Old French trenchant, the present participle of trenchier (“to cut”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?t??n??nt/

Adjective

trenchant (comparative more trenchant, superlative most trenchant)

1. (obsolete) Fitted to trench or cut; gutting; sharp.
   • 1663, Samuel Butler, Hudibras, part 1, canto 1:

     The trenchant blade, Toledo trusty, / For want of fighting was grown rusty, / And ate into itself, for lack / Of somebody to hew and hack.

2. (figuratively) Keen; biting; vigorously articulate and effective; severe.
   • 2011, Jay A. Gertzman, Bookleggers and Smuthounds: The Trade in Erotica, 1920-1940

     His trenchant criticisms of the Church's repression […] include a discussion of the considerable 1938 success of the fledgling NODL in getting magazines removed from various points of sale.

Translations

Middle French

Etymology

Old French trenchant.

Noun

trenchant m or f (plural trenchans)

1. sharp

Descendants

• French: tranchant

Old French

Adjective

trenchant m (oblique and nominative feminine singular trenchant or trenchante)

1. sharp; razor sharp

Declension

Verb

trenchant

1. present participle of trenchier

English

Etymology

pierce +? -ing

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?p??s??/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p??s??/
• Rhymes: -??(?)s??
• Hyphenation: piercing

Verb

piercing

1. present participle of pierce

Noun

piercing (countable and uncountable, plural piercings)

1. (uncountable) The action of the verb to pierce.
2. A hole made in the body so that jewellery/jewelry can be worn through it.

   ear piercing

3. An item of jewelry designed to be fitted through a piercing.

Translations

Adjective

piercing (comparative more piercing, superlative most piercing)

1. Appearing to look deeply into; penetrating.

   piercing eyes

2. Of temperature, extremely cold so that it penetrates through clothing and shelter.
3. Of sound, loud and sharp; shrill.

   The piercing noise of the children could be heard two blocks from the elementary school.

Derived terms

• armour-piercing, armor-piercing

Translations

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English piercing.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?pi?r.s??/
• Hyphenation: pier?cing

Noun

piercing m (plural piercings, diminutive piercinkje n)

1. piercing (ornament)

Derived terms

• lippiercing
• navelpiercing
• neuspiercing
• tepelpiercing
• wenkbrauwpiercing

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English piercing.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pj??.si?/

Noun

piercing m (plural piercings)

1. a piercing

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English piercing.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?pir.sin?/, /?pir.sin/
• Hyphenation: pier?cing

Noun

piercing m (invariable)

1. piercing (jewellery worn through a hole in the skin or tongue)

Polish

Etymology

From English piercing.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p?ir.sink/

Noun

piercing m inan

1. piercing (jewellery worn through a hole in the skin or tongue)

Declension

Further reading

• piercing in Wielki s?ownik j?zyka polskiego, Instytut J?zyka Polskiego PAN
• piercing in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from English piercing.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /?pi?.s?/

Noun

piercing m (plural piercings)

1. piercing (jewellery worn through a hole in the skin or tongue)

Usage notes

Earrings (brincos) are not considered piercings.

Spanish

Etymology

From English piercing.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?pi?sin/, [?pi?.s?n]

Noun

piercing m (plural piercings)

1. piercing

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from English piercing.

Noun

piercing c

1. piercing (body art)

Declension

Derived terms

• ansiktspiercing
• kroppspiercing