adj.
- Forceful, effective, and vigorous: a trenchant argument. See synonyms at incisive.
- Caustic; cutting: trenchant criticism.
- Distinct; clear-cut.
[Middle English, from Old French, cutting, from present participle of trenchier, to cut. See trench.]
trenchancy trench'an·cy n.trenchantly trench'ant·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
