punaise

See also: punaisé

French

punaise (1)

punaises (3)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /py.nɛz/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛz

Etymology 1

From the feminine of punais (“having a foul odor”), from Vulgar Latin *pūtināsius, from Latin puteō + nāsus, based on nāriputēns.

Noun

punaise f (plural punaises)

1. (entomology) bug, stinkbug; true bug (a member of order Heteroptera)
2. bedbug
3. tack, thumbtack, drawing pin
4. (colloquial, derogatory, of a woman) a bug, a nothing (a term of abuse)

Derived terms

• punaisien (rare)
• punaiser
• punaise de lit
• punaise des lits

Verb

punaise

1. first-person singular present indicative of punaiser
2. third-person singular present indicative of punaiser
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of punaiser
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of punaiser
5. second-person singular imperative of punaiser

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Interjection

punaise

1. (colloquial) Euphemistic form of putain; darn, shoot, shucks

Further reading

• “punaise”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.