puncheon

1 of 2

noun (1)

pun·​cheon ˈpən-chən How to pronounce puncheon (audio)
1
: a pointed tool for piercing or for working on stone
2
a
: a short upright framing timber
b
: a split log or heavy slab with the face smoothed

puncheon

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a large cask of varying capacity

Examples of puncheon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Ribera del Duero further stipulates that anything from crianza on up must be aged in oak barriques smaller than 330 liters, so winemakers choosing to use larger barrels, such as 500-liter puncheons or 2,500-liter foudres, are barred from using a descriptor other than cosecha. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 5 Aug. 2023 Awamori is not, generally speaking, aged in oak casks, which presumably makes the American oak puncheons used to finish this Glenfiddich expression even more rare. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2023 Its counterpart, the 2018 Brughelli Chardonnay is a ringer for a great white Burgundy, perfumed with lovely florals with bare hints of vanilla and spice (there’s 50 percent new oak here, but in the form of a large puncheon) and elegant oyster-shell minerality. Sara L. Schneider, Robb Report, 3 May 2021 Decades of experience led us to fill the spirit into a first-fill Sherry puncheon for long-term maturation. Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 24 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'puncheon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English ponson, punchon, from Anglo-French ponchon pointed tool, support, ultimately from Vulgar Latin *punctiare to prick, pierce, from Latin punctum, supine of pungere — more at pungent

Noun (2)

Middle English punchon, from Anglo-French ponchon, probably from Middle French poinçon mark on goods certifying their origin

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of puncheon was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near puncheon

Cite this Entry

“Puncheon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puncheon. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

puncheon

noun
pun·​cheon
ˈpən-chən
: a large barrel of varying size
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!