Punic (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Of or relating to or characteristic of ancient Carthage or its people or their language; "the Punic Wars"; "Carthaginian peace".
Classification
Relational adjectives (pertainyms).
Examples
- The Punic Wars were a series of conflicts between ancient Rome and Carthage that lasted for over a century.
- The Punic language was a dialect of the Phoenician language spoken by the people of Carthage.
- The Punic general Hannibal is famous for leading war elephants across the Alps during the Second Punic War.
- The Punic culture was heavily influenced by the Phoenicians, who founded Carthage in the 9th century BC.
- The Punic Wars had a profound impact on the development of the Roman Republic and its expansion into the Mediterranean.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
Tending to betray; especially having a treacherous character as attributed to the Carthaginians by the Romans; "Punic faith"; "the perfidious Judas"; "the fiercest and most treacherous of foes"; "treacherous intrigues".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- His Punic tendencies led him to frequently renege on business deals.
- Their rivalry turned bitter, marked by a Punic brand of ruthless backstabbing.
- It's unfair to describe his competitive drive as Punic, since it's really just about winning.
- No politician's image could survive being linked to Punic underhandedness like embezzlement or graft.
- Judas's notorious role as Christ's Punic apostle makes his actions still shock people to this day.