Punic

1 of 2

adjective

Pu·​nic ˈpyü-nik How to pronounce Punic (audio)
1
: of or relating to Carthage or the Carthaginians
2

Punic

2 of 2

noun

: the Phoenician dialect of ancient Carthage

Examples of Punic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
This year’s Series, which began on Friday, is the twelfth instance in which the teams have met in these Punic confrontations, with the Yankees prevailing eight times. Nicholas Dawidoff, The New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2024 The first Italian to try to bridge the Messina Strait may have been Consul Lucius Metellus, circa 250 B.C.E. After winning the battle of Palermo in the Punic wars, his army was flush with bounty, including, according to Pliny the Elder, some 140 elephants. Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 11 Dec. 2023 The results of this unprecedented collection of climate data: In the third century B.C., when Rome fought the First and Second Punic wars against Carthage and began its ascent to Mediterranean empire, times were good. Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 13 Jan. 2011
Noun
The Netflix movie will cover pivotal battles against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War fought between the two great empires of Rome and Carthage. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Nov. 2023 The kothon at Carthage protected its warships during the Punic Wars against the Roman Republic, when each side vied for mastery of the western Mediterranean. NBC News, 16 Mar. 2022 As a result, the internal workings of the Biden administration are so placid that probably more Americans know who won the Punic Wars (Rome) than the name of president’s chief of staff (Jeff Zients). Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 3 July 2023 The last major explosive eruption happened around 250 B.C., when the Punic Wars were raging in the Roman Empire. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 18 May 2020

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin punicus, from Poenus inhabitant of Carthage; akin to Greek Phoinix Phoenician

First Known Use

Adjective

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1595, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Punic was in 1533

Dictionary Entries Near Punic

Cite this Entry

“Punic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Punic. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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