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Webster 1913 Edition


Poignancy

Poign′an-cy

,
Noun.
The quality or state of being poignant;
as, the
poignancy
of satire; the
poignancy
of grief.
Swift.

Webster 1828 Edition


Poignancy

POIGNANCY

,
Noun.
poin'ancy. [See Poignant.]
1.
Sharpness; the power of stimulating the organs of taste.
2.
Point; sharpness; keenness; the power of irritation; asperity; as the poignancy of wit or sarcasm.
3.
Severity; acuteness.

Definition 2024


poignancy

poignancy

English

Noun

poignancy (usually uncountable, plural poignancies)

  1. The quality of being poignant
    • 2012 May 27, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:
      The Conan O’Brien-penned half-hour has the capacity to rip our collective hearts out the way the cute, funny bad girl next door does to Bart when she reveals that her new boyfriend is Jimbo Jones, but the show keeps shying away from genuine emotion in favor of jokes that, while overwhelmingly funny, detract from the poignancy and the emotional intimacy of the episode.

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