pungent flavor
Sharp, strong taste
A pungent flavor is sharp, strong, and biting—the kind that hits your nose and tongue with intensity.
Garlic, blue cheese, and wasabi all have pungent flavors.
The term suggests something memorable and possibly overwhelming rather than subtle: The pungent flavor of the fish sauce dominated the dish.
- allicinGarlic's antimicrobial sulfur compound
- raw garlicUnprocessed pungent cooking bulb
- allyl isothiocyanateVolatile sulfur-containing irritant
- piquantPleasingly sharp-tasting
- spicyHaving strong heat
acrid · capsaicin · hot peppers · thymol · acetic acid · sharp · ammonia · fiery · biting · bold · mustard · Korean cuisine · intense · sharp cheddar · acquired taste · seasoning · hot sauce · Ethiopian cuisine