† poynyen.

Etymology: Probably partly < Anglo-Norman poigne, poign fight, battle (first half of the 14th cent. or earlier; probably < classical Latin pugna a fight ( < pugnāre : see pugne v.)), and partly < Anglo-Norman pongneiz, poygniz, puignay, puignez, puingnee, Middle French poigneis, poingneis, poingnis, poingnys, pongneis, pongneys, pougneis fight, clash, skirmish (first half of the 12th cent. in Old French), of uncertain etymology (probably partly < poignier ( < classical Latin pungere to pierce, prick: see punge v.), and partly < poign- , stem of poindre to prick, pierce (see poin v.); these two verbs showed a large amount of formal overlap, so that confusion of some of their derivatives was to be expected).It is likely that poigneiz , pongneiz , etc., was also associated with poign , poigne , poing fist (see poigne n.), even though that word is probably not etymologically related; compare Middle French poingnie act or instance of hitting (a person) with the fist (end of the 14th cent.; earlier in Old French (Picardy) as poignie (c1250); also as poignée (1414), poignie (1465)) < poing fist. See further Französisches etymol. Wörterbuch at pungere. Compare also Old French poignie (13th cent. in an isolated attestation), poignié (c1240), both in sense ‘fight’ (both < poignier to fight (13th cent., rare; < classical Latin pugnāre to fight: see pugne v.)).