Punic

1 of 2

adjective

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

Punic

2 of 2

noun

: the Phoenician dialect of ancient Carthage

Examples of Punic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
Noun
The brutalist federal buildings that have blighted Washington, D.C., for decades deserve the same fate as Carthage after the Third Punic War, and the nation’s capital is finally beginning to move on from these concrete monstrosities. — Rich Lowry, National Review, 29 June 2025 Ancient Rome infamously destroyed Carthage in 146 B.C.E. during the Third Punic War. — Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for Punic

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

Rhymes for Punic

See All Rhymes for Punic

Browse Nearby Words

pungle
Punic
Punica
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Punic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Punic. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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