Skip to content

Table of Contents

The word for today is…

trenchant (adjective):

1: keen, sharp
2: vigorously effective and articulate
3a: sharply perceptive : penetrating
b: clear-cut, distinct

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : The word trenchant comes from the Anglo-French verb trencher, meaning “to cut.” Hence, a trenchant sword is one with a keen edge. Nowadays, trenchant mostly describes things that don’t cut deep literally, but that are still felt: a trenchant remark is one that cuts close to the bone, and a trenchant observation is one that cuts to the heart of the matter. In addition to meaning “caustic” and “sharply perceptive,” trenchant also carries a sense meaning “very strong, clear, and effective” that may be used, for instance, to describe a persuasive essay written with intellectual rigor. If you find yourself forgetting these “edgy” definitions, you might dig up a familiar relative of trenchant: the noun trench, which refers to a long cut or ditch in the ground.

If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.

Latest

The Good Oil Word of the Day

The Good Oil Word of the Day

The word for today is… stereotype (verb, noun) - verb 1: to make a stereotype from 2a: to repeat without variation : make hackneyed b: to develop a mental stereotype about noun 1: a plate cast from a printing surface 2: something conforming to a fixed or general pattern, especially : a

Members Public