poon

[ poon ]

/ pun /

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noun

any of several East Indian trees of the genus Calophyllum, that yield a light, hard wood used for masts, spars, etc.

the wood of these trees.

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Origin of poon

1690–1700; compare Tamil punnai, pinnai,Malayalam punna names for Calophyllum inophyllum

Words nearby poon

poolroom, pools, poolside, pool table, pool train, poon, Poona, poonce, poontang, poop, poop cabin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use poon in a sentence

Yes, I was b-b-orn with a s-s-s-ilver s-s-poon in my m-m-m-outh.
Mr. Punch with The Children|Various
Breaking a thick branch off a poon tree he whittled away the minor stems.
The Wings of the Morning|Louis Tracy
He halted beside a small poon-tree, and stooped to find something embedded near its roots.
The Wings of the Morning|Louis Tracy
The rifle was fired by means of the string, the loose coils of which were secreted at the foot of the poon.
The Wings of the Morning|Louis Tracy

British Dictionary definitions for poon (1 of 2)

poon¹

/ (puːn) /

noun

any of several trees of the SE Asian genus Calophyllum having lightweight hard wood and shiny leathery leaves: family Clusiaceae

the wood of any of these trees, used to make masts and spars

Word Origin for poon

C17: from Singhalese pūna

British Dictionary definitions for poon (2 of 2)

poon²

/ (puːn) /

noun

Australian slang a stupid or ineffectual person

Word Origin for poon

C20: from English dialect

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012