noun
pissant
PIH-sant
Pissant (noun) means Informal, dismissive: a small, unimportant, or annoying person. Example: “He's just a pissant trying to look important in meetings.”
noun
1
Informal, dismissive: a small, unimportant, or annoying person.
"He's just a pissant trying to look important in meetings."
adj
1
Informal: insignificant or trivial.
"They argued for an hour over some pissant detail no one cared about."
"‘He was just this little pissant kid, Wallace.’"
— Brandon Taylor, Real Life (2020)
How to use pissant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA crude, dismissive term for someone (or something) petty and unimportant.
When to use it
Vulgar slang — not for formal contexts.
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Word forms
- Plural
- pissants
- Comparative
- more pissant
- Superlative
- most pissant
Etymology
From piss + ant, apparently referencing the sharp, urine-like smell given off by anthills.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for pissant
See all rhymes for pissant →Frequently asked questions
What does “pissant” mean?
The word “pissant” means informal, dismissive: a small, unimportant, or annoying person. In plain terms, a crude, dismissive term for someone (or something) petty and unimportant.
How do you pronounce “pissant”?
“Pissant” is pronounced PIH-sant (/ˈpɪsænt/ in IPA).
How do you use “pissant” in a sentence?
Here is “pissant” used in a sentence: “He's just a pissant trying to look important in meetings.”
What part of speech is “pissant”?
Depending on how it is used, “pissant” can be a noun and an adjective.
How many meanings does “pissant” have?
“Pissant” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: informal, dismissive: a small, unimportant, or annoying person.
