Both Uses of
pungent
in
Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen
- And it smelled of pine cleaner and bleach, with something vaguely pungent underneath.†
p. 132.3
- My dad led me around a corner, and as we proceeded down a hallway, the underlying pungent part of the smell got stronger.†
p. 133.3 *
Definition:
strong smelling or tasting
or much more rarely: anything sharp, painful, or penetrating -- physically or emotionally
or much more rarely: anything sharp, painful, or penetrating -- physically or emotionally
In reference to taste or smell, pungent is more often associated with a strong flavor than a particular flavor. Some associate it with a high level of volatile acidity. Some wine connoisseurs interchange the word pungent with earthy.