trenchant C1 Topic:Art & Music US /ˈtɹɛnʃənt/ See IPA manual Minimal pairs Sounds like transient /ɛ/ vs /æ/ Freq #104007 Meanings 1 adj Fitted to trench or cut; gutting; sharp. The trenchant blade, Toledo trusty, / For want of fighting was grown rusty, / And ate into itself, for lack / Of somebody to hew and hack. 2 adj Keen; biting; vigorously articulate and effective; severe. Trenchant wit. Common collocations trenchant criticism Adjective + noun Etymology Borrowed into Middle English from Old French trenchant, the present participle of trenchier (“to cut”). Topics Art & Music External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # trenchant **Type:** Word **Level:** C1 **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /ˈtɹɛnʃənt/ **Frequency rank:** 104007 ## Meanings 1. Fitted to trench or cut; gutting; sharp. 2. Keen; biting; vigorously articulate and effective; severe. ## Examples - The trenchant blade, Toledo trusty, / For want of fighting was grown rusty, / And ate into itself, for lack / Of somebody to hew and hack. - Trenchant wit. ## Etymology Borrowed into Middle English from Old French trenchant, the present participle of trenchier (“to cut”). ## Topics - Art & Music markdown