piquancy
1
8.2
- noun
- /ˈpɪkwənsi/
:
picantez
- Her storytelling always added a sense of piquancy that kept the audience engaged.
- add piquancy
Examples
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The vibrant colors of the painting brought a new piquancy to the otherwise dull room.
-
Shall we add a little piquancy to the proceedings?
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Just adds that touch of piquancy.
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Within this context, a disguised self-portrait by Van Dyck would have acquired added piquancy.
Academic text (2015) -
The color reproduction opposite this vivid and accurate written evocation entirely misses the coolness and piquancy of these nuances.
Academic text (1990) -
It was precisely what he needed to add an avant-garde piquancy to his art collection in Montpellier, which was then composed of mostly obscure, provincial artists.
Academic text (2004) -
The story of Van Meegeren's forged Vermeers is essentially dark comedy, drawing its piquancy from the swindling of the Nazi bigwigs.
Academic text (2011) -
Joy soaked the air, a carefree piquancy that slid in with each inhalation, caressing taste buds on its way past the tongue like a fine, dry wine.
Fiction book (1994) -
What adds freshness and piquancy to Havel's project is that he has personally paid the price for his resistance to the seduction of ideology and that he did so, not in the name of a restorationist ideal, but in the name of an elemental, forward-pressing, yet limited ideal of free responsibility.
Academic text (1992) -
The dish had a delightful piquancy that made it unforgettable and exciting.
Synonyms
2
7.9
A lively, exciting quality that makes someone or something stand out
1
7.4
A quality that makes people pay attention and stay focused
A lively quality that makes conversation or stories more interesting
A pleasant feeling that makes ideas or remarks lively
A lively, energetic quality or a strong, pleasant taste in people and food
Antonyms
How Stimulating
105
3.4
434
1.0
1
8.2
∞
1.0
318
2.2
85
1.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Piquancy comes from the French verb piquer, which means 'to prick' or 'to sting', and the English word pique shares this idea. So piquancy can mean a pleasant, slightly sharp quality that 'pricks' your interest and makes something more exciting.