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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."

How to use pissant

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA crude, dismissive term for someone (or something) petty and unimportant.

When to use it

Vulgar slang — not for formal contexts.

Word forms

more pissant comparative, pissants plural, most pissant superlative

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Etymology

From piss + ant, apparently referencing the sharp, urine-like smell given off by anthills.

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.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial