Puncture
/ˈpʌŋk.tʃər/noun
To pierce or make a hole in something.
Did you know?The word 'puncture' is linked to the Latin root for 'to prick' or 'to pierce', which echoes ancient rituals involving the blood and past sacrifices.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peuk-
“to prick or pierce”
Latin
Latin
punctus
“a point or prick, derived from 'pungere', meaning to pierce”
Late Latin
Late Latin
punctura
“a piercing or a puncture”
Old French
Old French
puncture
“a perforation or hole made by a sharp object”
Middle English
Middle English
puncture
“the act of piercing or making a hole”
Explore more surprising origins