*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of punt

From Old English punt, from Latin pontō (“Gaulish flat-bottomed boat, pontoon”), from pons (“bridge”); readopted from Middle Low German punte (“ferry boat”) or Middle Dutch ponte (“ferry boat”) of the same origin.

4 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 4 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
noun

A narrow shallow boat, square at both ends, traditionally propelled by a pole.

verb

To propel a punt or similar craft by means of a pole. · Of a fish, to walk along the seafloor using its fins as limbs.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Old English punt, from Latin pontō (“Gaulish flat-bottomed boat, pontoon”), from pons (“bridge”); readopted from Middle Low German punte (“ferry boat”) or Middle Dutch ponte (“ferry boat”) of the same origin.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentionpuntang
  • Derivation mentionpontōla
  • Derivation mentionpuntegml
  • Derivation mentionpontedum
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "punt"
      },
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    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
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        "2": "la",
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        "4": "",
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      },
      "expansion": "Latin pontō (“Gaulish flat-bottomed boat, pontoon”)"
    },
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        "2": "gml",
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        "4": "",
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      },
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    },
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        "3": "ponte",
        "4": "",
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      },
      "expansion": "Middle Dutch ponte (“ferry boat”)"
    },
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      "expansion": "etymology 1, noun sense 1"
    }
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      "punt#Old_English"
    ],
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    ],
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      "pons#Latin"
    ],
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      "punte",
      "punte#Middle_Low_German"
    ],
    [
      "ponte",
      "ponte#Middle_Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "grig",
      "grig"
    ],
    [
      "weel",
      "weel"
    ]
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
verb

To dropkick; to kick something a considerable distance. · To kick a ball dropped from the hands before it hits the ground. (This puts the ball farther from the goal across which the opposing team is attempting to score, so improves the chances of the team punting.) · To kick a bouncing ball far and high. · To equivocate and delay or put off (answering a question, addressing an issue, etc).

noun

A kick made by a player who drops the ball and kicks it before it hits the ground.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Possibly a dialectal variant of bunt. Rugby is the origin of the sports usage of the term.

This page abbreviates 3 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗
verb

To play basset, baccara, faro, etc. · To stake against the bank, to back a horse, to gamble or take a chance more generally · To make a highly speculative investment or other commitment, or take a wild guess.

noun

A point in the game of faro. · The act of playing basset, baccarat, faro, etc. · A bet or wager. · Gambling, as a pastime, especially betting on horseraces or the dogs.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from French pointe or Spanish punto (“point”). Doublet of point, pointe, ponto, puncto, punctum, and punto.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

This page abbreviates 4 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗
noun

The Irish pound, used as the unit of currency of Ireland until it was replaced by the euro in 2002.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from Irish punt, from Middle English pund. Doublet of funt, pfund, pood, and pound.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Borrowed-form mentionpuntga
  • Derivation mentionpundenm
  • Doublet mentionfunten
  • Doublet mentionpfunden
  • Doublet mentionpooden
  • Doublet mentionpounden
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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    },
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    },
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      },
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for punt →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-cHVudA