punky

¹ American  

[puhng-kee] / ˈpʌŋ ki /

adjective

punkier, punkiest

1. of, like, or pertaining to spongy punk.

2. burning very slowly, as a fire.

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punky ² American  

[puhng-kee] / ˈpʌŋ ki /

adjective

punkier, punkiest

1. Slang. of or like punks or hoodlums.

2. of, relating to, or characteristic of punk rock, its performers, or its devotees.

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Other Word Forms

• punkiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of punky¹

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75; punk ² + -y ¹

Origin of punky²

punk ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

One of the genre's most revered drummers, he played on tracks such as Bob Marley's Punky Reggae Party and Dave and Ansell Collins' classic, Double Barrel.

From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026

Jim McMahon helped the 1985 team shuffle to Chicago’s lone Super Bowl championship before injuries took their toll on The Punky QB.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 25, 2024

A few pictures are flipped to reveal the inscriptions on the back, which name children known as Punky and Sissy.

From Washington Post • Jan. 20, 2023

For the past 20 or so years, Punky has been living on the street.

From New York Times • Dec. 6, 2021

The man hated the way Punky was so confident.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith