trenchant (2010-02-10)

Part of Speech: adjective

Pronunciation: ['tren-chuh nt]

Definition: Cutting or caustic; effective, forceful.

Usage: Put on your trenchant coat, because it’s time for sarcasm! Trenchant, a word meaning severely cutting or biting, is most often used in reference to comments people make about each other. That fat joke in reference to your sister was probably trenchant, as was your assessment of your friend’s taste in music. Think of each trenchant comment you make as an arrow, its trenchant tip sinking deep into the heart of your target.

Suggested Usage: In modern usage, trenchant often means incisive wit or keen judgment, as in “trenchant criticism of his teacher’s habits.” It may also be used to suggest enthusiasm and effectiveness—an argument, for instance, or a stance on a political matter may be described as trenchant. Though the original usage is a bit outdated, trenchant can be used in the literal sense of sharp or cutting in reference to a blade.

Etymology: Trenchant has been in use since the early 14th century. It is derived from the Old French trenchier, meaning “to cut.” Middle English literature was particularly fond of the word; in fact, even the poet Chaucer used it in his Canterbury Tales to refer to a keen blade. For centuries, it was always used in the literal sense, with the first figurative use of the word appearing around 1600.