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Origin and history of piquant

piquant(adj.)

1520s, "sharp or stinging to the feelings" (a sense now obsolete), from French piquant "pricking, stimulating, irritating," present participle of piquer "to prick, sting, nettle" (see pike (n.1)). From 1640s as "of agreeable pungency or sharpness of taste or flavor;" by 1690s as "of smart, lively, or racy nature." Related: Piquantly.

also from 1520s

Entries linking to piquant

pike(n.1)

"weapon with a long shaft and a pointed metal head," 1510s, from French pique "a spear; pikeman," from piquer "to pick, puncture, pierce," from Old French pic "sharp point or spike," a general continental term (Spanish pica, Italian picca, Provençal piqua), perhaps ultimately from a Germanic [Barnhart] or Celtic source (see pike (n.2)). An alternative explanation traces the Old French word (via Vulgar Latin *piccare "to prick, pierce") to Latin picus "woodpecker." No doubt, too, there is influence from pike (n.1), which by 1200 had a sense of "spiked staff."

"Formerly the chief weapon of a large part of the infantry; in the 18th c. superseded by the bayonet" [OED]; hence old expressions such as pass through pikes "come through difficulties, run the gauntlet;" push of pikes "close-quarters combat." German Pike, Dutch piek, Danish pik, etc. are from French pique.

piquancy(n.)

"piquant quality; pleasing cleverness or raciness; keenness, sharpness, tartness," 1660s, from piquant + abstract noun suffix -cy.

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pungent
1590s, "sharp and painful, poignant, piercing," originally figurative, of pain or grief, from Latin pungentem (nominative pungens), present participle of pungere "to prick, pierce, sting," figuratively, "to vex, grieve, trouble, afflict" (from suffixed form of PIE root *peuk- "to
tang
mid-14c., tang, tonge, "serpent's tongue" (thought to be a stinging organ), from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse tangi "spit of land; pointed end by which a blade is driven into a handle," from Proto-Germanic *tang-, from PIE *denk- "to bite" (see tongs). Later of other l
salty
mid-15c., salti, "tasting of salt, somewhat salt, impregnated with salt," from salt (n.) + -y (2). The meaning "racy, sexy" is from 1866, from salt in the sense of "that which gives life or pungency" (1570s, originally in reference to words or wit); salt (adj.) also was used of l
relish
which is used to impart a flavor to plain food to increase the pleasure of eating it" is recorded by 1797, especially a piquant...
spicy
1560s, "of the nature of spice," from spice (n.) + -y (2). In reference to flowers, breezes, etc., "sweet-smelling," from 1640s, also from 1640s as "producing or abounding in spice." The figurative sense of "racy, salacious" dates from 1844. Earlier it was "full of spirit" (by 18
savory
"pleasing in taste or smell," c. 1200, savourie, originally figurative and spiritual (of virtues, etc.), from Old French savore "tasty, flavorsome" (Modern French savouré), past participle of savourer "to taste" (see savor (n.)). Of food or drink, "tasteful, flavorful," by late 1
hail
salutation in greeting, c. 1200, from Old Norse heill "health, prosperity, good luck," or a similar Scandinavian source, and in part from Old English shortening of wæs hæil "be healthy" (see health; and compare wassail). The interj. hail is thus an abbreviated sentence expressin
heredity
1530s, "inheritance, succession," from French hérédité, from Old French eredite "inheritance, legacy" (12c.), from Latin hereditatem (nominative hereditas) "heirship, inheritance, an inheritance, condition of being an heir," from heres (genitive heredis) "heir, heiress" (from PIE
pristine
1530s, "pertaining to the earliest period, of a primitive style, ancient," from French pristin and directly from Latin pristinus "former, early, original," from Old Latin pri "before," from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "in front of, before, first." Meaning "unspoiled, unto
digital
mid-15c., "pertaining to numbers below ten;" 1650s, "pertaining to fingers," from Latin digitalis, from digitus "finger or toe" (see digit). The numerical sense is because numerals under 10 were counted on fingers. Meaning "using numerical digits" is from 1938, especially of comp

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