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puncheon

Etymology and origin of the English word puncheon

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈpʌntʃən/ (UK)[1]

Etymology

It comes from Middle English punchon, ponson,[2][3][4] from Old French ponchon (“pointed tool”),[2][5][6][3] from Vulgar Latin *punctio (“a pricking; a pointed tool”),[2][6][4] from Latin pūnctus, the past participle of pungere “to prick”.[2][6][3][4] punch “tool” is a shortened form of it.[6] The cask called a puncheon is a separate word of uncertain origin,[5][6] perhaps the same word, from a mark stamped on the cask.[2][6][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

A short supporting beam or strut (1348 as pounchonn in Barnhart),[5] and a pointed tool for piercing (about 1370).[5][6][7]

Semantic evolution

As a tool the word named a dagger (1375), a pointed tool of masons and engravers,[7] and from about 1500 a stamp or die for coining.[6][7] In building it meant a short upright framing timber (1466),[7][2][3] and in America a split log or heavy slab with one face smoothed, used for floors.[3][4][1] The cask word is recorded from about 1400 for a large barrel of 72 to 120 gallons.[5][6][2]

Timeline

  • 1348 – a short supporting timber.[5]
  • about 1370 – a pointed tool.[5]
  • about 1400 – pynson, a cask (separate word).[5][6]
  • about 1500 – a stamp or die.[6][7]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A short upright timber used in structural framing.
  2. A heavy, roughly dressed slab of timber with one face finished flat, used as a floorboard.
  3. A pointed, punching or stamping tool, as used by goldsmiths.
  4. A large cask holding from about 72 to 120 gallons; also the amount it holds.
  • punch
  • pungent
  • puncture
  • point

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Puncheon.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/puncheon. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·