| Library / English Dictionary |
POIGNANCY
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A quality that arouses emotions (especially pity or sorrow)
Example:
the film captured all the pathos of their situation
Synonyms:
pathos; poignancy
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("poignancy" is a kind of...):
quality (an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone)
Derivation:
poignant (arousing affect)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A state of deeply felt distress or sorrow
Example:
a moment of extraordinary poignancy
Synonyms:
poignance; poignancy
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("poignancy" is a kind of...):
sadness; sorrow; sorrowfulness (the state of being sad)
Derivation:
poignant (keenly distressing to the mind or feelings)
