Piercingest: meaning, definitions and examples
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piercingest
[ ˈpɪr.sɪŋ.ɪst ]
intense sound
The term 'piercingest' refers to something that is extremely sharp or penetrating in sound, often used to describe a noise that is particularly loud or shrill. This implies a level of intensity that is more extreme than just 'piercing'.
Synonyms
loudest, most intense, sharpest, shrillest.
Examples of usage
- The piercingest scream echoed through the night.
- She made the piercingest whistle to call her dog.
- The piercingest noise came from the faulty alarm.
- His voice was the piercingest among the crowd.
Etymology
The word 'piercing' originates from the Middle English 'persing', which comes from the Old French 'percer', meaning 'to pierce', and can be traced back to Latin 'persus', the past participle of 'perseare', meaning 'to pierce through'. The suffix '-est' is a common English formation used to denote the superlative degree of an adjective, signifying that the quality expressed by the word is at its highest or most extreme level. Therefore, 'piercingest' combines these elements to convey the sense of the most extreme piercing quality, especially in auditory contexts. The concept of piercing sounds has been prominent in various cultures, often associated with danger, alertness, or attention, highlighting the importance of auditory signals in human communication and experience.