The action of the verb to pierce.
"The sharp needle made a quick piercing motion through the fabric."
In plain English: A piercing is an opening made through your skin to hold jewelry, usually done with needles by professionals.
"The piercing had started to heal after two weeks."
Usage: As a noun, piercing refers specifically to an ear or body modification where jewelry is inserted through tissue, distinct from its adjective form describing something sharp or intense. Use this term when discussing personal adornment rather than abstract concepts like light beams or sudden sounds.
present participle of pierce
"The piercing sound of the whistle cut through the quiet morning air."
In plain English: To pierce something means to make a hole through it with a sharp object.
"The sudden noise was piercing enough to make everyone jump in their seats."
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
"an acute observer of politics and politicians"
"incisive comments"
"icy knifelike reasoning"
"as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang"
"penetrating insight"
"frequent penetrative observations"
Appearing to look deeply into; penetrating.
"Her piercing gaze seemed to see right through his lies."
In plain English: Piercing describes something that is sharp enough to make a hole through it, often causing pain when you touch or look at it.
"The piercing cry from the baby woke everyone up early in the morning."
The word piercing is formed by adding the suffix -ing to the verb pierce. It entered English as a present participle describing something that has the quality of making a hole or penetrating through an object.