punt
Punt (noun) means a long, flat-bottomed boat that is pushed along with a pole, often used on rivers for leisure. Example: “They hired a punt to drift along the river Cam.”
How to use punt
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA flat river boat pushed with a pole, the act of poling it, a type of kick in sport, or a gamble/guess.
In British English, "have a punt" commonly means to take a gamble or a guess; the American football "punt" refers to the kicking sense.
Word forms
punted past tense, punted past tense, punted past tense, punts plural, punts plural, punts plural, punts plural, punts singular, punts singular, punts singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They hired a _____ to drift along the river Cam.
Etymology
From Old English punt, from Latin ponto, meaning a flat-bottomed boat, related to pons, "bridge."
Related words
Rhymes for punt
See all rhymes for punt →Frequently asked questions
What does “punt” mean?
The word “punt” means a long, flat-bottomed boat that is pushed along with a pole, often used on rivers for leisure. In plain terms, a flat river boat pushed with a pole, the act of poling it, a type of kick in sport, or a gamble/guess.
How do you pronounce “punt”?
“Punt” is pronounced puhnt (/pʌnt/ in IPA).
How do you use “punt” in a sentence?
Here is “punt” used in a sentence: “They hired a punt to drift along the river Cam.”
What part of speech is “punt”?
Depending on how it is used, “punt” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “punt” come from?
The word “punt” comes from Latin. From Old English punt, from Latin ponto, meaning a flat-bottomed boat, related to pons, "bridge.".
Is “punt” a common word?
“Punt” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “punt” have?
“Punt” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a long, flat-bottomed boat that is pushed along with a pole, often used on rivers for leisure.