Punicn.adj.

Etymology: As noun < classical Latin (or post-classical Latin) Pūnicus native of Carthage (in plural, Pūnicī ), use as noun of masculine of Pūnicus , adjective (see below); as adjective < classical Latin Pūnicus, earlier Poenicus of or relating to ancient Carthage or its language, Carthaginian, having the character attributed by the Romans to the Carthaginians, treacherous, perfidious, bright red, scarlet < Poenus (noun) a Carthaginian, (adjective) Phoenician, Carthaginian + -icus -ic suffix. Compare ancient Greek Φοῖνιξ Phoenician, Carthaginian, also dark red (see Phoenician n.). Compare Middle French, French punique (end of the 14th cent. as adjective, 1721 as noun), Spanish púnico (late 13th cent. as noun, late 14th cent. as adjective), Portuguese púnico (1561), Italian punico (14th cent.). In sense A. 2 after classical Latin Pūnicum, use as noun (short for Pūnicum mālum Punic apple) of neuter of Pūnicus.As a noun, classical Latin Pūnicus is recorded (in plural, Pūnicī ) in an 8th-cent. epitome of a 2nd-cent. grammarian. The equivalent text in the 2nd-cent. grammarian has a lacuna in the corresponding passage, but it is possible that the form Pūnicī is to be supplied. In the Old English plural form Punici (compare quot. eOE¹ at sense A. 1) after the Latin nominative plural, although it is noteworthy that the latter is not found in Orosius Hist. (which uses only Carthaginienses ), the translation of which provides all of the Old English evidence of the word. Compare Old English Pene Carthaginians ( < classical Latin Poenī, plural of Poenus : see above), which also occurs as an ethnonym in the Old English translation of Orosius Hist. The word was evidently reborrowed in the 15th and 16th centuries, and there is no continuity of use with the Old English. In the late Middle English period compare Punical adj.