<span>The word pungent refers to the pickles' scent. Pungent is an adjective that describes something with a very sharp or distinct smell. In this excerpt the pickles must have a very strong smell that stands out from the rest of the environment. Thus, they smell pungent.</span>
In the excerpt, the word "pungent" refers to the pickles' aroma. Pungent is a word to describe a very strong smell, very sharp and biting. So when Untermeyer used the word pungent to refer to the pickles, he was talking about their aroma, which is a fancy way to say smell.
