Pungency
/ˈpʌn.dʒən.si/noun
The quality of being sharply strong, biting, or piercing to the senses, especially smell or taste.
Did you know?Pungency ultimately comes from Latin words for “stinging” and “pricking,” which is why English uses it for smells, flavors, and even remarks that hit hard.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peug-
“to prick, pierce, or sting”
Latin
Latin
pungere
“to prick or sting”
Latin
Latin
pungentia
“a pricking quality; sharpness”
Middle English
English
pungent
“pricking, sharp, or biting”
Modern English
English
pungency
“the quality of being sharply penetrating to the senses”