poon

[ poon ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

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.

poon

/ puːn /

poon

/ puːn /

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

Origin of poon¹

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

Origin of poon¹

C20: from English dialect

Origin of poon²

C17: from Singhalese pūna

Yes, I was b-b-orn with a s-s-s-ilver s-s-poon in my m-m-m-outh.

Breaking a thick branch off a poon tree he whittled away the minor stems.

He halted beside a small poon-tree, and stooped to find something embedded near its roots.

The rifle was fired by means of the string, the loose coils of which were secreted at the foot of the poon.

April 25, 2024firkin

[fur-kin ]

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Browse