piquant

/ˈpiːkənt/

//ˈpiːkənt// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"piquant" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“piquant” is an uncommon English word, ranked #72,652 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#72,652
frequency rank, English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Causing hurt feelings; scathing, severe.

Key facts for piquant
PropertyValue
Headwordpiquant
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈpiːkənt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#72,652
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “piquant” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). piquant lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for piquant is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpiːkənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #72,652 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for piquant in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French piquant (“pricking, stimulating, irritating”), present participle of piquer, possibly from Old French pikier (“to prick, sting, nettle”). Doublet of picong. Related to pike. The correct English form is piquant, spelled P-I-Q-U-A-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Causing hurt feelings; scathing, severe.
  2. 2
    Stimulating to the senses; engaging; charming.
  3. 3
    Favorably stimulating to the palate; pleasantly spicy; tangy.
  4. 4
    Producing a burning sensation due to the presence of chilies or similar spices; spicy, hot.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French piquant (“pricking, stimulating, irritating”), present participle of piquer, possibly from Old French pikier (“to prick, sting, nettle”). Doublet of picong. Related to pike.

This word in other languages

picante(Español)piquant(Français)pikant(Deutsch)interessante(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "piquant"?
"piquant" is spelled P-I-Q-U-A-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpiːkənt/.
What does "piquant" mean?
As an adjective, "piquant" means: Causing hurt feelings; scathing, severe.
How do you pronounce "piquant"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "piquant" is /ˈpiːkənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "piquant"?
Borrowed from Middle French piquant (“pricking, stimulating, irritating”), present participle of piquer, possibly from Old French pikier (“to prick, sting, nettle”). Doublet of picong. Related to pike. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “piquant”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-I-Q-U-A-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpiːkənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list